The display of advertising is an ever increasing feature of main streets and commercial centres. Advertisements can add colour and interest to the commercial street scene and can fulfil a useful function in screening unsightly temporary building work or vacant and untidy land. Clutter, however, can arise when retailers and other advertisers compete to distinguish their property or promote their products by the use of signs and illumination. The City is renowned for the splendour of its Victorian streets, particularly the City Centre, and care must be taken to ensure that the display of advertisements does not detract from the City’s outstanding architecture and particularly from the listed buildings and conservation areas.

While accepting that advertising is a feature of modern life, the Council will attempt to strike a balance between the legitimate wishes of, for example, a retailer to advertise their property and the visual amenity of the building, street or locality where the property is located.

This advertising policy sets out the standards which the Council will apply when dealing with applications under the Advertisement Regulations. The policy covers the use of advertising in the following situations:

• Commercial Premises including Shops, Offices and Retail/Leisure Parks;
• Industrial Premises;
• Pylon and Free-standing Signs;
• High Level Signs;
• Large Outdoor Displays;
• Small Format Outdoor Displays;
• Flagpoles and Banners; and
• Flyposting.

1. General Principles

The Council will welcome high quality signs of innovative design in appropriate locations and will operate a principle of progressive improvement of existing signs where the opportunity arises.

In determining the acceptability of an advertisement display, each case will be considered on its merits. The following two aspects will be considered:

(i) Amenity - Advertisement displays have an impact on the visual amenity not only of the property itself but also neighbouring properties and the surrounding area; and

(ii) Safety - The effect of all advertisement displays will be assessed for their impact on public safety particularly the safety of pedestrians, drivers and other road users.

The following matters will also be taken into account:

(i) the cumulative effect of a number of signs on a property or within a locality to prevent advertising clutter;

(ii) the effect of any illumination used on advertising displays;

(iii) all advertising on premises should be seen as part of the overall design of the property and should respect its original design. It should not appear as an add-on;

(iv) sign colours should preferably take the form of light letters on a dark background, with the letters/logo only illuminating, if necessary;

(v) on listed buildings and within conservation areas, a higher quality of design and materials will be expected to reflect the property or area’s character and appearance. Where a display is acceptable, it should be of particularly high quality. Static displays should comprise individual letters and readily identifiable logos;

(vi) displays that are liable to cause driver distraction, such as on sites adjacent to roundabouts, junctions, traffic signals, pedestrian crossings or motorways are unlikely to be acceptable. Certain colours such as green or red should be avoided where they would be confused or conflict with traffic signals; and

(vii) consent will be resisted for advance directional signs outwith the curtilage of the premises to which they relate.

2. Commercial Premises including Shops, Offices and Retail/Leisure Parks

(a) Fascia Signs

The following policies apply in addition to the General Principles set out above. See also policy SC 13: Shopfront Alterations and Shop Security.

(i) fascia signs should be at the original fascia level with no advertising at sub-fascia level or on columns or pilasters;

(ii) painted signs or non-illuminated letters would be preferred to panels or other types of display;

(iii) if the sign is in the form of a panel, rather than individual letters, then the panel should cover the whole fascia within the pilasters where they exist, but should not extend over a common close entrance;

(iv) on fascia signs within traditional tenements, it is preferred that lettering should not exceed more than two-thirds of the height of the fascia;

(v) illumination should be in the form of individually illuminated letters rather than individual spotlights or lanterns that can be intrusive additions on a frontage. When external illumination is proposed, this should be by trough lighting, the trough extending over the full length of the fascia and painted out to match the background; and

(vi) trough lights will not be permitted on listed buildings where they would be unacceptably obtrusive and non-recessed fascia box signs and sub-fascia boxes will not be permitted in traditional tenements.

(b) Projecting Signs

The following policies apply in addition to the General Principles set out above. See also policy SC 13: Shopfront Alterations and Shop Security.

(i) projecting signs should preferably be non-illuminated and hang from a horizontal bracket;

 

(ii) any illumination should ideally be internal or from a trough-light with the trough painted out, rather than from spotlights;

(iii) projecting box signs should have a maximum end width of 100 mm and an area of not more than 0.5 m² on each face;

(iv) projecting signs should be displayed at least 2.25 m above the pavement and should not be located on any side of a shop next to a residential close entrance; and

 

(v) to reduce visual clutter, a projecting sign will only be permitted if the shop has no other projecting advertisement such as a canopy, flags etc and only one projecting element per unit will be permitted on each frontage.

(c) Awnings and Canopies

The following policies apply in addition to the General Principles set out above. See also policy SC 13: Shopfront Alterations and Shop Security.

(i) Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas

 

Curved Dutch canopies are an alien feature in traditional properties and adversely affect the visual amenity of historic areas. These canopies will not be permitted on listed buildings or within conservation areas.

Traditional retractable awnings may be permitted, provided the unit has a traditional shop frontage and the housing for the awning can be recessed flush with the frontage. Awnings should spring from immediately below the original fascia. Traditional materials such as canvas is preferable to modern materials such as PVC-u.

(ii) Elsewhere in the City

 

Canopies must spring from below the original fascia and not extend across pilasters or close entrances.

Canopies will not be permitted on shopfronts with a dropped fascia.

(d) Commercial Properties Above the Ground Floor

The following policies apply in addition to the General Principles set out above.

Advertising commercial properties above the ground floor will be constrained by the fact that the properties do not have the benefit of a traditional shop frontage. Usually upper-floor commercial properties will be advertised by a panel on a directory board inside the ground floor entrance. Any advertising on the front elevation at upper floor level should meet the following requirements:

(i) all advertising should be contained within the window openings and be behind the glass;

 

(ii) signage should preferably be painted or etched directly on to the glass or printed on to internal window blinds. Alternatively, individual letters, rather than a panel, should be suspended behind the glass;

 

(iii) no projecting signs, canopies, flags or banners will be permitted above ground floor level; and

(iv) free-standing 2-storey commercial properties may, however, display an element of advertising at the upper level.

(e) Offices in Former Residential Property

The following policies apply in addition to the General Principles set out above:

(i) advertising should be by means of metal name plates. These can be made of brass, anodised aluminium or stainless steel and should be fixed to the doorpiece pilaster (or if there is no pilaster, to the masonry beside the door), at the level of the fourth or fifth course of masonry above the top step. Plates should be centred within a single masonry block and fixed directly on to the stonework;

(ii) it may also be acceptable for painted lettering to appear on a front window; and

(iii) no projecting or illuminated signs will be permitted above windows or doorways.

(f) Retail/Leisure Parks

The following policies apply in addition to the General Principles set out above:

(i) all signage should be in scale with the surrounding buildings;

 

(ii) there should be consistency of signage across all the units;

(iii) a signing zone should be identified on all properties and should be shown on the plans at the original planning application stage; and

(iv) signing zones should be designed to allow for the provision of recessed signs.

3. Industrial Premises

The following policies apply in addition to the General Principles set out above:

(a) industrial estates should have directory boards near major entrances and located within the estate so as not to cause obstruction to road users;

(b) signs should be used to identify the individual premises and should, where circumstances allow, be displayed over the entrance of each premises; and

(c) signs should be of individual letters, rather than a panel or box.

4. Pylon and Free-Standing Signs

Pylon signs describe the tall signs generally located at the entrance to retail/leisure parks and petrol filling stations. Free-standing signs describe the much smaller signs usually used to provide directions to car parking or a service yard.

The following policies apply in addition to the General Principles set out above:

(a) pylon signs should not face or directly overlook residential property;

(b) pylon signs should be in scale with their surroundings and should not detract from the amenity of the surrounding area. If illumination is used, only the letters or logo should illuminate. As these signs are inevitably more prominent, advertisers are encouraged to use materials such as metal or stone rather than plastic;

(c) where considered acceptable, only one pylon sign will be permitted at each access to a retail park. Only one pylon shall be displayed at a petrol filling station; and

(d) low free-standing signs, such as signs indicating a delivery yard, should not exceed 1.5 m in height and the face should not exceed more than 1.5 m² in area.

5. High Level Signs

This section refers to signs above the usual fascia height of commercial properties and includes vertical signs on the walls of buildings and signs on the roofs of multi-storey properties such as hotels.

The following policies apply in addition to the General Principles set out above.

High level signs should:

(a) always be ‘read’ against the backdrop of a building;

(b) comprise individual letters or logos with the letters only illuminating, if illumination is required. Internally illuminated box signs or remote lighting of entire boxes will not be permitted;

(c) appear to be designed as part of the building;

(d) relate to the scale and use of the building; and

(e) not obscure or detract from any architectural feature.

6. Large Outdoor Displays (both static and moving)

Outdoor displays are advertisements which do not generally relate directly to the land or premises on which they are displayed. Traditionally these are paper posters on hoardings, either free-standing or attached to buildings, although modern displays now include moving prismatic panels or internally illuminated PVC-faced panels. (For Banners, see Section 8).

The following policies apply in addition to the General Principles set out above.

Consent may be granted for displays which are suitably located:

(a) within wholly commercial and industrial areas;

(b) around derelict sites not directly visible from housing;

(c) temporarily around building sites;

(d) to provide additional benefits such as treatment of exposed unsightly sites/buildings or landscaping; and

(e) in scale with the buildings or land on which they are displayed.

Elements which will be considered include:

(i) distraction to drivers; and

 

(ii) interference with:

- visibility at junctions;

- forward visibility (especially at bends);

- sign visibility;

- traffic signal visibility; and

- visibility at pedestrian crossing points.

Standards to be met:

(i) Traffic Issues

 

A separate technical paper was approved by the Council on 9 October 1997; detailing the standards that require to be met for the siting of Advertising Hoardings beside roads. All large outdoor displays will be expected to meet the terms of this technical paper.

(ii) Illumination

 

Any illumination should preferably be internal.

 

If external illumination is used, the lighting installation should preferably be:

 

- no higher than the panel and directed downwards to avoid driver distraction; and

- by trough lighting with the trough painted out.

(iii) Design of Hoarding Display

 

If the rear of a hoarding is visible, it should be treated or painted out and only vertical supports will be permitted.

 

No posters should be displayed until any required landscaping and other works are completed to the satisfaction of the Planning Authority.

7. Smaller Format Outdoor Displays

Traditionally, these are internally illuminated panels attached to the walls of shops and other commercial premises. While there may be locations where small format outdoor displays are appropriate, such as in traditional shopping areas, the following locations should be avoided:

(a) on the returns of buildings into residential side streets, substantially devoid of advertisements;

(b) opposite or immediately adjacent to ground floor residential properties;

(c) on a listed building;

(d) outwith the commercial parts of conservation areas;

(e) adjacent to a signal controlled road junction; and

(f) adjacent to or within the zig-zag lines approaching a pedestrian crossing.

8. Flagpoles and Banners

The erection of a flagpole requires planning permission.

The display of any flag, other than a national flag, on a flagpole requires advertisement consent. When used for advertising purposes, the display of national flags also requires advertisement consent.

While good quality, well-maintained banners can add colour and interest to a commercial environment, the permanent display of a banner, in addition to other advertisements on properties, can add clutter and may be considered inappropriate, particularly on listed buildings or in sensitive locations within conservation areas. Temporary banner displays on scaffolding, however, can be useful in hiding the scaffolding itself and unsightly building work for the limited period of construction, refurbishment etc. Regard must be taken, however, of a number of such displays in a limited area, particularly within conservation areas, where they may be considered inappropriate.

For temporary banner displays on scaffolding to be acceptable, applicants must be able to demonstrate that:

(a) planning permission has been granted for the redevelopment/refurbishment of the building;

(b) a contract has been let for the works to proceed;

(c) the banner comprehensively screens the scaffold; and

(d) the banner shall only be displayed while construction work requiring the scaffolding is actively on-going.

Consent will not be granted for flags or banners on buildings at ground-floor level or on single-storey properties.

9. Flyposting

Increasingly the entertainment industry is using temporary adverts such as strawboarding (the tying of posters to railings or street signs) and flyposting. These advertisements, which are usually displayed indiscriminately, can rapidly disfigure a streetscene. This section on flyposting, is aimed at addressing this problem by encouraging the industry to bring forward proposals for poster sites where advertisement consent may be granted if certain requirements are met.

Advertisement consent is required for the display of posters and Listed Building Consent is also required if the property is listed. Applications for any display that does not accord with the Council’s standards will not be considered favourably.

No posters shall be displayed on street furniture, service cabinets, traffic signs and pedestrian barriers.

Consent may be granted for poster displays that comply with the following standards:

(a) General standards:

(i) the details below are the minimum requirements. A higher design specification and a more expansive style would be welcomed, provided the other requirements are met;

(ii) the posters should relate to cultural or entertainment events only and should fully comply with the Council’s Equality Policy;

(iii) any consent granted will be for a temporary period only, at the end of which the poster frames and timber screen shall be removed, to the satisfaction of the Planning Authority; and

(iv) the advertiser is required to ensure that no unauthorised posters are displayed within the vicinity of any approved sites.

Consent will only be granted for poster displays within the Principle Retail Shopping Areas in the City Centre and other shopping areas, where they can be justified to the satisfaction of the Planning Authority.

(b) Locations around building sites/gap sites:

(i) posters should be mounted within timber frames fixed to slatted timber screen fence;

 

(ii) the frames (1.5m x 0.5m) should be painted black, dark blue, dark green, maroon or other approved colour, with the screen fence painted to match;

(iii) four sheet, eight sheet and twelve sheet timber frames will be permitted, with at least 50% of the display area being made up of four sheet frames;

 

(iv) no framed poster should be located within 2m of the end of the screen fence;

 

(v) there should be a minimum gap of 1m between each poster frame;

 

(vi) all frames should be stripped of posters on a monthly basis; and

(vii) the frames and screen fence should be maintained to the satisfaction of the Planning Authority and no unauthorised posters shall be displayed between the framed posters.

(c) Vacant Shops/Commercial Premises

All the above standards will apply, where appropriate, as well as the following:

(i) the slatted timber backing should cover the entire window display, without damaging the fabric of the original shopfront;

(ii) the maximum permitted size of frame will be eight sheet;

 

(iii) no shop open for trading should be used for poster displays; and

(iv) all posters and timber frames, or other authorised treatment, should be removed before the property re-opens for business.

 

 

Advertising - City Centre