Sydney council calls for Australia’s biggest billboard at Glebe Island Silos to be torn down

glebe_island_silosThe City of Sydney wants to see the Glebe Island Silos billboard, the biggest in the southern hemisphere, to be torn down claiming it is a “permanent blight” on the skyline.

The 200m long sign which sits on the working silos was originally erected in 1992 as part of Sydney’s bid for the 2000 Olympics, but has remained ever since. Whilst it is thought to have a ratecard price of $250,000 for each 28 day cycle, media buyers have told Mumbrella it fetches around $150,000 depending on market conditions.

Now owners of the site The Port Authority NSW has applied to keep the sign up for another seven years, which has drawn an objection from the City of Sydney’s with development director and noted architect Graham Jahn claiming it “does not provide sufficient public benefit”. 

In his submission to the NSW Planning Authority Jahn wrote:  “The only benefits are now the commercial benefits associated with the revenue stream of an advertising structure that has the primary function to reinforce consumer brand names.”

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