Residents in parts of Lincoln will no longer see ‘To Let’ signs after the council was granted permission by the government to ban them altogether.
Lincoln city council applied to the government for the ban under Regulation 7 of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007. The ban is proposed to apply in several areas, including the West End and Union Road in the city’s historic quarter.
The ban was applied for after a number of complaints were received and were supported by the results of several public consultations. The ban has been approved by the Secretary of State and it will now go before the council’s executive for final approval prior to implementation in April this year.
Council Planning officer Kieron Manning is reported to have said:“In recent years, the council has witnessed a significant increase in the number of complaints about the proliferation of To Let boards in certain parts of the city.
Any letting sign should be a temporary feature but, when signs are left up too long in areas containing high numbers of rental properties, they can begin to dominate the street scene.”
Comment
To Let signs are becoming a nuisance according to some councils and bans such as these have also been seen in Brighton & Hove and Newcastle. If agents wish for their advertising to be lawful they need to ensure that boards are not left up beyond 14 days from the date a tenancy is granted (Schedule 3 Part 1 Class 3A of the 2007 Regulations).
Published 14 February 2019
