CABE concern over giant public screens

The 'Live Sites' giant screens project will have a serious impact on the public space of many towns and cities in the UK, warns CABE.

A big screen in Hull

The 'Live Sites' giant screens project will have a serious impact on the public space of many towns and cities in the UK, warns CABE.

The project aims to leave between 45 and 60 screens in towns and city centres. The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games is supplying the screens and the BBC will provide the content, including live coverage of the Beijing Olympics and through to London 2012 and beyond. The project is funded from the National Lottery and commercial sponsorship. Local authorities will be responsible for maintenance costs.

Whilst CABE fully supports the idea of creative access to the Olympics for the widest possible community through temporary large-scale screens around the country, it has serious concerns about leaving them as permanent installations.

Some of these spaces provide a setting for important historic buildings, or are the focus of conservation areas where any new development should preserve or enhance the character of the area.

Along with other organisations involved with urban design - English Heritage, Civic Trust, Living Streets and the English Historic Towns Forum - CABE believes that Live Sites should be steered towards appropriate new buildings and spaces in areas where digital media play a positive role as part of new placemaking.

"Just when we're starting to create well-designed, civilised public space in many English towns, along comes a rash of intrusive neon screens. Having a fun, relaxed time in our streets and squares should come from the character and design of a place, not something that feels more like an outdoor Currys," Sarah Gaventa, director of CABE Space, comments.

"This is not urban regeneration. If it is going to work, funding needs to be earmarked for physical improvements to the spaces for which screens are proposed, and for proper curating to ensure the cultural programme is high quality."