No 'big wheel' for Plymouth

Impact on historic setting raises concerns

Plymouth Hoe won’t be getting a summer big wheel.

Plans for a company called Event Attractions, Bridgewater have been refused by the city council.

It had hoped to erect a 32 metre wheel from 15 March to 5 October each year, and run it between 10am and 11pm.

Powered by all-but-silent electric motors, the company claimed it wouldn’t create audible pollution above normal background noise of people and traffic.

Lighting for the wheel was to be low-energy LED, keeping light pollution to a minimum.

Given the distance from commercial and residential properties, planning officers didn’t raise significant concerns about ‘amenity’ of the area and thought it would enhance the waterfront area.

But their concerns that the wheel would have a permanence in the historic setting because of its return each year were shared by Historic England and the council’s urban design team.

There were claims it would detract from the Naval War Memorial, the visual focus of the Hoe.

It was felt that a less sensitive site, away from key historic monuments and memorials, would be better suited.

The application has been refused by officer using delegated powers because they said insufficient information had been submitted to allow them to assess the full visual impact on the historic environment and on trees and biodiversity.