First of all, what is planning permission? In terms of signage projects, there are two types of planning permission. Planning permission is needed for buildings whereas if you’re looking to put up advertisements and signage, you will need advertising consent. It’s important to note that there are three types of advertising consent for signage.
There is careful control over the advertising regime for most areas. You can find more information here.
Once you’ve figured out which type of planning permission you’re going to need, you’ll want to get in touch with your local authority. One of the first things you should do is check your local guidelines to see whether there is anything you need to take into consideration. It’s also a good idea to make sure that your local authority is engaged with the project. If your project is large or would have a significant impact on the area, speak to the planning department and make sure you’re assigned a designated engineer to oversee the project. Before getting started on any planning, you might also want to get in touch with all landowners and bordering landowners to ensure there will be no objections throughout the project.
Areas of conservation will come with different restrictions, which is why it is important to do your research before deciding on an area. For example, the types of signs you install will be very important especially when it comes to the types of materials being used. This also affects protected parkland. In some instances, you may not be able to install signs near certain trees, animal homes or near lakes and ponds.
The process of getting planning consent is fairly straightforward and the application is all housed within one website. Before beginning your application, we suggest making sure you have gathered all of the necessary materials. Once you have everything together, you can apply online via the Planning Portal. You’ll need to submit any drawings, signage specifications, site plans, lighting plans etc. with your application. You’ll also need to pay a fee to your local authority and potentially display a notice of application if required.
Once you have done the application, all that’s left to do is wait for the verdict. If it is a contentious issue, it may get forwarded to the planning committee for the final decision.
If you’re seeking planning permission for signs on a shop front, there are a few standard conditions all signs must meed. Regardless of the size, design, or location, the signage should meet the following criteria:
If you are getting planning permission for local events such as concerts, town events and street parties, you may require temporary signage. These temporary notices can be up to .6 square metres in size. As for estate agents’ boards, there are often different rules, but it’s a good idea to stick to a maximum size of .5 square metres.
All in all, planning consent is essential and without it, you cannot legally begin any signage project. Hopefully, this article outlined a few different things to take into consideration if you’re looking to get planning permission for an upcoming event or project. If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call. We’d be happy to have a chat!