A plan to hang advertising banners in a town centre under a Barnet Council money-saving scheme was withdrawn from the agenda of a committee.

Advertising firm Bay Media planned to install 20 plastic lamppost banners along the High Road through Whetstone town centre, and council planning officers had recommended giving the go-ahead to the proposals despite receiving more than 100 objections.

Part of a scheme designed to meet the environment committee’s five-year savings targets, the application was due to be considered during the meeting of a Barnet planning committee on Thursday, 2nd September. But at the beginning of the meeting, committee chair Stephen Sowerby announced that it had been withdrawn.

The plan sparked 109 objections from members of the public, including claims that the banners would “ruin the visual amenity of the streets”, distract drivers and “impact historic buildings”.  A report by planning officers acknowledges there are a number of listed buildings along the stretch of High Road where the banners would hang.

Following the meeting, a council spokesperson confirmed the item was withdrawn at the request of the applicant.

A similar plan to hang advertising banners along roads in East Barnet Village was refused by a planning committee in April. The committee unanimously ruled that it would have an adverse effect on the street scene and the visual amenity of the surrounding area.