By Belinda Nolan
BRIMBANK Council is cracking down on rogue advertisers in a bid to improve the municipality’s appearance.
The council is tightening its planning controls to rein in advertising that is not consistent with its vision for the city.
The council has recently revised its Municipal Strategic Statement to address its concerns about problem advertising and provide guidelines for enforcement.
Stephen Sully, the council’s general manager of City Development said advertising needed to be managed to improve the aesthetic appearance of the municipality and keep roadways safe and attractive.
The move comes as Bunnings in Sunshine launched a bid to erect more signage near its Ballarat Rd store.
The hardware giant has applied to the council for a planning scheme amendment that would allow it to display advertising on adjoining land that will be developed as part of an extension.
The adjacent land is owned by Victoria University and is currently zoned as public land, prohibiting corporate advertising from being displayed at the site.
Bunnings is seeking an amendment to the planning scheme to make way for the proposed advertising.
But Brimbank Council is expected to reject the proposal, after council officers claimed the signage would not meet its guidelines.
The application was due to be decided this month, but a decision was postponed at Bunnings’ request.
Residents wishing to comment on the revised MMS can attend a drop-in information session on 31 January at the Sunshine Municipal Office.
The MMS will also be on display at local libraries and customer service centres until 11 February.
