A GOVERNMENT planning inspector has overruled Wellington councillors and given permission for supermarket firm Lidl to put up a 20-feet tall flagpole sign at the Cades roundabout entrance to the town.

Rebecca McAndrew heard an appeal by the company against a town council decision to allow advertising signs and hoardings on the side of the supermarket but to refuse the flagpole on the site perimeter at the corner of Taunton Road and Nynehead Road.

Councillors were concerned it would further spoil the local scene on the main road entrance into Wellington.

But Ms McAndrew said it was only one flagpole and would be seen against the backdrop of the supermarket and its car park and therefore would not be visually intrusive.

She imposed a restriction on the brightness of the illuminated sign of 440 candela per square metre, and ordered that it could only be used during the store’s opening hours.

Ms McAndrew said the flagpole sign was a standard type which could be found at many supermarkets across the country.

She said: “It would provide a useful way marker for visitors to the supermarket and improve the legibility of the site.

“The flagpole sign would not appear overly intrusive or excessive in the street scene.

“Consequently, it would not unduly harm the visual amenities of the appeal site or the area, including this main route into Wellington.”

Ms McAndrew noted concern by some objectors regarding potential for anti-social behaviour in the supermarket’s car park but said the matter before her was solely the flagpole sign, which was unlikely to promote such a problem.