PLANS for signs at Colchester's newest Home Bargains store have been thrown out after planners ruled they were "unsatisfactory" and "excessively dominant." 

The discount retailer is set to launch what will be its biggest site in the city later this year.

The new store, which is set to open at the former B&Q site in Lightship Way in the summer, will be over 34,000 sq ft and create up to 100 jobs.

it will feature a bakery, in-store café and large garden centre.

But plans submitted by parent company TJ Morris Limited for signs for the business have been rejected by Colchester Council. 

The firm wanted to put up a big Home Bargains sign alongside signs promoting a cafe, and garden centre. 

The proposals showed seven store signs would be put up. 

But planners at Colchester Council refused the sign proposal last, stating the "significant number of signs" and their designs contradicted multiple sections of the Local Plan Policy.

The largest of the proposed signs was designed at a 140mm profile, featuring built-in, illuminating lights.

The report said: "By virtue of their size, position, form and in some cases illumination, the signage would be excessively dominant and would result in an unsatisfactory appearance of visual clutter."

The policies outline the "quality and character of places can suffer when advertisements are poorly sited and designed."

The new store is set to open on August 24.

The new store will fill a vacant space at the former B&Q site, which has been empty since the DIY retailer relocated to Stane Park in 2021.

Supermarket giant Sainsbury’s, which owns Argos, first eyed up the huge site in 2016 and was granted permission to build a new supermarket there.

However, plans later changed, with Colchester Council approving its refreshed bid to reopen the site’s doors with a variety of offerings.

Work on the Local Fulfillment Centre for Argos at the northern end of the building began last year and has since been completed.

As well as this, there was space for a retail unit as well as a 15,000 sq ft discount gym.

Home Bargains was contacted for a comment but said no one was available for comment.