York student accommodation told to remove ‘obtrusive’ window graphics

Plans for large window graphics at a York student accommodation block have been refused by council planning officers.

The proposals, submitted by Fusion Students for its building on Fishergate, included 14 oversized images displayed across ground floor windows at Rialto House.

Council officers said they had a “significant adverse visual impact”.

The accommodation block welcomed its first residents last summer after construction was completed ahead of the current academic year. The ground floor includes shared spaces such as a gym, laundrette and communal living areas, the areas the graphics were intended to cover.

‘Unnecessary clutter’

The graphics, each around 2.2m high and 1.7m wide, featured images of people and interiors and were intended to both offer privacy to students and promote the accommodation.

However, planners at City of York Council ruled the designs would have a negative impact on the surrounding area.

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In their decision, officers said the graphics would create “unnecessary clutter” and appear “obtrusive in its surroundings”.

They added: “The proposed signage would appear as a large and dominant feature in the streetscene.”

The application received four objections, with concerns raised about the scale and suitability of the graphics. Critics described them as excessive and out of character for a residential area, suggesting that simpler alternatives, such as frosted or obscured glass, could provide privacy without affecting the appearance of the building.

Fusion Students now has eight weeks to appeal the decision if it chooses to challenge it. If no appeal is made, the graphics will not be permitted in their current form.

Featured image via Instagram @fusionstudentsuk