Diane O’Dwyer, who lives in a terrace of six houses in Lower Rathmines Road, says she returned from holidays to find a huge LED sign shining into the front of her house and the houses of others on the road.
The LED sign boasts that it is “eye-catching”, “illuminating” and “dynamic” but it is all a bit much for some of the Rathmines residents who, like O’Dwyer, live close by.
Dublin City Council says it has received “multiple” complains in relation to the billboard concerned. “We do not release the exact number as this matter is under current investigation,” it said in a statement.
“Contact is being made with relevant parties in respect of this signage and the associated specific complaints relating to it.”
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It confirmed that the planning enforcement section of Dublin City Council is carrying out an investigation of the complaints in question.
The sign was erected on Saturday and, according to Ms O’Dwyer, it is so bright that even when she closes the shutters in her bedroom she can still see it flashing on and off. Ms O’Dwyer described the sign as “humongous” and the experience of living adjacent to it as “like being at a disco”.
“This billboard changes every 10 seconds and when it changes it creates a flash effect which goes through all the house. I have had to move to the back of the house – it is so bright. It just horrendous. I can’t believe this is legal. We can’t block it out,” she said.
“These things should be banned in residential areas. They are incredibly bright,” she said. A similar sign has been erected in Ranelagh Road.
Ms O’Dwyer said she measured the luminosity of the sign and found it to be 5499 Lux at night, which lighting engineers have told her is 20 times the legal limit.
Ms O’Dwyer said she thinks the luminosity of the sign had been turned down on Wednesday night following her complaints on RTÉ's Liveline programme, but not enough she said.
Planning permission for the sign was given by Dublin City Council for the billboard which is located above the Eddie Rockets at 284 Rathmines Road Lower.
It was appealed by Cllr Mannix Flynn to An Bord Pleánala. Permission was given on the basis that its maximum luminance would not be more than 250 canderels per square metre.
“We weren’t even told, let alone asked for our consent to it,” Ms O’Dwyer said.
Dublin City Council confirmed that it gave the billboard and that the site, at the side of Eddie Rockets, was deemed acceptable for such advertising.
Permission was granted subject to a number of conditions most notably that there would be no animation, flashing, 3-dimensional effects, noise, smoke or full motion video. The transitions from one video to another would be via fade rather than via flash.
