Drab, grey and uninspiring - but would advertising hoardings brighten up Benefer Way, in King’s Lynn

Clear Channel UK wanted to site the two 6m-wide billboards at the corner of Benefer Way and Estuary Road.

But highways officers feared the illuminated hoardings would distract drivers from the traffic lights controlling the junction.

Turning down the application, West Norfolk planners said: 'The erection and display of two illuminated advertisement hoardings in this exposed location, which is one of the main gateways into King's lynn, would appear unduly obtrusive and incriongruous to the detriment of the visual amenities of the locality and by virtue of its illumination will distract drivers and conflict with the traffic lights which control the Estuary Road/Benefer Way junction.'

Earlier, King's Lynn Civic Society said it would not be formally objecting to the application.

'One could argue that in this location the proposed advertisements will partially-hide the even uglier oil tanks behind,' said its secretary Sally Smith in a letter.

And in its appeal, Clear Channel said: 'The proposed panels would be seen against the backdrop of large, dirty grey and rusting oil storage tanks and other industrial buildings.

'They would be wholly contained against this unsightly background and would provide a degree of screening for this industrial facilitiy as well as adding some life and colour to a view which is presently drab, grey and uninspiring.' The appeal says that the illumination of the signs will not distract drivers as they approach the junction.

'Approaching drivers would have ample time to be aweare of the panels and their simple contents without undue distraction from the traffic signals,' it adds.

The agency has also offered to remove illumination from the plan.

But the hoardings could soon have nothing to screen.

For contractors have been on site in recent days cutting up the 'large dirty grey and rusting' oil tanks.