A COUNCIL heritage report says a new window-filling ‘Grab & Grow’ advertising graphic of pizza, crisps and other foodstuffs on a Grade II-listed shop front is “unacceptable” and should be removed.

The Monmouthshire Council heritage officer “strongly objects” to the vinyl graphic on the One Stop Shop front window in Monmouth’s Monnow Street, and has urged planners to refuse advertising and listed building consent.

They report says the previous graphic it has replaced - depicting eggs and installed eight years ago - was put in without planning permission ever being applied for or granted.

“There is no record of permission for installation of a vinyl and so should be considered unauthorised development,” it adds.

“Graphic window displays which cover the majority of a shop window are generally considered unacceptable on listed buildings or within a conservation area, because this is not an authentic or traditional approach.

“It can turn shop fronts into oversized advertising hoarding... and detracts from the character of the area.”

A heritage statement on behalf of the application from One Stop Stores of Walsall claims: “The advertisements are to replace existing window graphics which have become cracked and damaged - they cause no conflict with public safety and represent preservation to visual amenity.”

But a resident who lives in a neighbouring listed building has slammed the application, saying: “The window and shopfront concerned are not in character now, and the proposed replacement does nothing to improve this.

“The shop frontage is an ugly blight as it is, and the replacement is equally objectionable, especially when one considers the requirements placed on local householders such as myself and my neighbours. The heritage statement provided (for the applicant) is formulaic nonsense. The building and town deserve better and deserve something in keeping with the town’s history and heritage.”

Monmouth Civic Society, who first complained about the graphics in 2017, are also unimpressed, saying: “We want to see shop windows with interesting displays of goods in our high street, not ugly advertising hoardings.”

A spokesperson for One Stop said this week: “The decision to replace the window graphics at our One Stop Monmouth store came after comments from the town council, that our previous window graphics were looking tired and needed refreshing.

“We have engaged with our contractors who are in talks with the planners, to see how we can move forward.”

The spokesman declined to comment on One Stop’s failure to obtain planning permission prior to the installation.

As previously reported, the town council recommended refusal of listed building and advertising consent for the graphic at its meeting last week, saying it impacts on the character of the listed building, owned by supermarket giant Tesco, and the town centre Conservation Area.

Cllr Gail Brehany said: “It is an illegal replacement because planning was never applied for or granted, and therefore... they cannot replace it, because they haven’t got permission for it.”

Cllr Tom Kirton added: “It’s on the cusp of being a big advertising hoarding which isn’t permitted, and it’s been there since 2015 and the heritage officer doesn’t believe it was actually allowed in the first place.

“It was just done and just left to be there. Which is why they’ve then assumed, oh well, we can just replace it then, because it’s been there since 2015.”

Cllr Sian Damon pointed to the “flash of green” on Specsavers next door and asked: “Why was that allowed? I don’t recall those being Georgian colours. It is as garish as what One Stop want to do.”

Cllr Kirton said the One Stop owners had given “no good reason or excuse” for covering their windows, and they could have used frosted glass.

He proposed recommending refusal on the grounds the vinyl blighted the listed building and conservation area.

Only Cllr Damon voted in support of the graphic, which will be ruled on by Monmouthshire’s planners.