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TODAY'S OTHER NEWS

Bye Bye Boards? Council considers blanket ban on all For Sale/To Let signs

A London council is considering a borough-wide ban on agents’ boards of all kinds.

Labour-controlled Camden already has a ban for a limited period on specific roads, but is now consulting with residents on widening the scope of the ban.

Camden already has been given Regulation 7 Direction powers for some locations, mostly conservation areas, where explicit council consent is required for the erection of boards. 

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Now a new council statement says: “Estate agent boards continue to be one of the most common complaints made to Camden’s Planning Enforcement Team.  

“Across the borough there are examples of estate agents disregarding the regulations, displaying numerous boards per building and keeping them up for long periods despite properties being sold or let. 

“Estate Agent Boards are seen by many as outdated eyesores, which merely add unnecessary clutter to our streets and take up valuable Council resources as we seek to secure their removal.

“This situation has prompted calls for action and we are looking to apply for further powers from the Secretary of State to impose tighter controls for the display of estate boards across the borough.”

The council is asking for residents’ views on two options: 

- Firstly to enlarge the current Direction so the council can regulate estate agents boards across the whole borough as the problem is borough-wide.

- Or secondly to enlarge the Direction so the council can regulate estate agents boards to all conservation areas and all high streets as these are where the problem mostly occurs.

Government consent is required for either of these options to be put into effect, and the council will need to provide evidence to the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government to demonstrate the need to extend its ability to regulate boards and to show that this is supported by residents - hence the current consultation.

The closing date for comments and photographs is Tuesday February 26; the council will post the result and its decision on its website shortly after that date. 

Poll: Is it time to scrap For Sale and To Let boards?

PLACE YOUR VOTE BELOW

  • Michael Riley

    Would a ban mean that a high street office and therefore "brand on the ground" has more value?

  • Richard Copus

    More and more local authorities are going down this route because it's easy and makes them popular with their council tax payers. We've only ourselves to blame for not obeying the board legislation. At this rate estate agents boards will be an endangered species in 10 years' time.

  • eddie walsh

    One well established agent in west Nottingham has numerous boards which seem to remain for ever and a day. What about the rule of one board per property? This is totally ignored and this particular agent plants boards on grass verges and on main roads a considerable distance away from the relevant properties. I counted ten For Sale/Sold/To Let/Let By boards on one small block of apartments and they have been there for years without being removed and this block is just 200 yards away from Erewash Borough Council's offices!

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