Conservation Area - shop window posters

[Roger H]

Hi all,

A technical question: A national retailer - not renowned for their sympathetic design eye - has set up shop in my towns' Conservation Area. The building is unlisted and unfortunately the previous occupier was awful too.

Apart from the garish shop front and fascia, for which they are belatedly applying for planning permission, the large windows are full of large adverts for the goods contained inside.

Are posters fixed to the inside of shop windows subject to any kind of advertisment control?

The Communities and Local Government website has a pdf of what I gather to be the relevant regulations – ‘Outdoor advertisements and signs’ – at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/pdf/326679.pdf

However, the regulations are incredibly opaque and don't seem to refer at all to signs fixed to the inside of the glass. Can anyone offer me any advice or point me in the direction of a usable quote from the planning act?

Thanks,

Roger

 

[Pford75]

Roger - I'm no expert on these matters, but I would imagine it is difficult to apply planning legislation to what is essentially an internal fixture and fitting. The shopowner could presumably remove, move or alter the advertisements quickly and easily and thus demonstrate that they are not a permanent fixture.

I think you may have to learn to live with the advertisements

 

[Roger H]

It seems that there is a lot of shop front design guidance out there on advertisments, but it's incredibly difficult to locate the legislative bit.

Plenty of policies like : 'Sales posters attached to the inside of display windows are also discouraged - and require consent if they cover more than 10% of the display area.' but no references.

I've had a fair trawl of the internet on this and it is very unclear.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Your District Council should have a policy and guidelines relating to commercial premises and their apearance within the Conservation Area.

Funnily enough I am about to raise awareness about the grim state of some of the listed and unlisted ( actually 'listing' all over the place would be a more appropriate prefix) commercial premises in the centre of ourGeorgian Market Town. Unfortunately most are owned by faceless property developers who neither care about keeping the buildings in good repair, nor have any qualms about extracting huge rents from the Businesses therein, and expecting the Retailer to paint/ maintain the frontages as well, which they do with varying degrees of sensitivity. Poster sticking on windows is very irritating, but probably not a lot that you can do about that--mind you it probably obscures the goods for sale so not very inviting to a potential customer!

Before doing anything, I shall be looking to the District Council and English Heritage to see what their guidelines are--keep us posted!

 

[Manders]

I recall some case law on this but it was some time (may be 5 or so years ago).

From what I remember there was an issue of whether they were adverts or not, ie special promotions etc or just general photographs, how much of the window was covered, and whether they were fixed to the back of the glass. The outcome was that they required consent unless they were located a 'sufficient distance' from the shop window. The shop moved the signs back by 150mm or so and unfortunately that seemed to be that.

I can't place my hands on the case. Maybe Gareth may know?

 

[biffvernon]

Some would say that these days having a shop that was open at all is a bonus.

 

[Roger H]

Thansk for replies. Unfortunately the Council has no clear guidance on this issue either. And yes Biff, It's marginally better than a derelict shop but as it stands is dragging the rest down...

Thanks all.

 

[Carol]

Our local council are being very prescriptive with another national retailer's new shop front in our Conservation Area. Perhaps it is dependent on the quality of your CO. Perhaps you could have a word.

My initial thought was "Do I need to think more carefully about the posters for the Choral Society or other events which go in my front (High St) window?"

Perhaps they should be colour matched to my LBC'd frontage