THE town hall has been urged to be "more flexible" with its stance on digital advertising screens.

The council’s decision not to grant permission for two LED display screens to be installed in different locations will be appealed, a planning agent has said.

Planners ruled last week that an internally illuminated sign in Derby Street would have a detrimental impact on residents due to its proximity to windows at a neighbouring property.

This comes after another screen in Blackburn Road was refused planning consent in June because it would “adversely affect” the local area.

Planning agent Sohail Musa, who submitted both applications, said the council must be more flexible if it wants Bolton to be “on par” with cities like Manchester.

He said: “I feel the council need to take a look at their stance on these screens. This is the future of advertising and far more environmentally sustainable and economically viable than the outdated process of advertising we have been using over last few decades.”

Officers said that the screen in Astley Bridge would “adversely affect” the amenity of the building, the site and the local area by reason of its design, size, materials and illumination.

They said that an internally illuminated sign on the side of Tivoli House in Derby Street would have a detrimental impact on the amenity and living conditions of occupiers of the adjacent residential properties.

In the decision notice, they cited its size, appearance, means of illumination, position and its imposing nature and proximity to habitable room windows.

It added: “The proposed display screen, due to its size, appearance, position and means of illumination, would create an intrusive and overly dominant feature in the street scene along one of Bolton’s main radial routes, whilst also adding to existing advertisement clutter in the area and adversely affecting the visual amenity of the building, the site and the local area.”

Mr Musa said he intends to appeal the decisions on both applications.

Bolton Council granted planning permission for a digital billboard on the Lower Bridgeman Street side of the former World of Wicker building earlier this year.

The six-by-four-metre high definition screen, which was installed in January, was said to be the first of its kind in the town.