Council takes legal action over hoarding

DUBLIN CITY Council has launched legal proceedings arising from a large unauthorised Abercrombie Fitch advertisement on College Green.

The huge hoarding, which features a naked male torso, covers the front of a building undergoing extensive renovation for a new outlet for the US clothing chain.

The council says the advertisement has not got the required planning permission.

The matter is due before the District Court on October 9th.

The council issued a warning letter under section 152 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, in relation to the controversial advertisement, and, when that did not produce the required response, an enforcement notice under section 154 of the Act.

However, the advertisement remains in place and the council has now initiated proceedings.

“The Abercrombie Fitch sign is listed for court on October 9th,” a spokesman said. “As this matter is now before the courts, we are not in a position to make a comment.”

A request for a comment from Abercrombie Fitch met no response. The large image of the naked torso has been the subject of print and broadcast reports since it was unveiled some months ago.

Between January 2011 and August 2012, the council investigated 39 cases of large banner advertisements being erected without the required planning permission, the council spokesman said.

Of these, 31 of the advertisements were removed following the issuing of section 152 warning letters, three were removed following the issuing of section 154 notices, two were removed prior to court proceedings, one is the subject of a pending court case and two are under investigation, he said.

One of the current investigations concerns a large banner advertisement recently erected on the premises that houses Doyles pub on the corner of Fleet Street and College Street, not far from College Green.

The advertisement is for a new Samsung tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10, and is about 2½ storeys high and stretches across four windows of the four-storey building near Trinity College.

A request for a comment from Samsung met with no response.

A member of staff in the pub said there was no one there who was in a position to comment on the matter.