Swansea

1
ECONOMIC REGENERATION PLANNING DEPARTMENT

• Swansea To Let Signs
• - A Voluntary Code for Advertisers

CITY AND COUNTY OF SWANSEA DINAS A SIR ABERTAWE
2
Background

• Concerns expressed regarding proliferation of
  letting boards in areas with a high proportion of
  residential properties
• Has a detrimental visual impact
• Emphasises transient nature of area
• May flag up to criminals properties which are a
  potential source of easy pickings

3
(No Transcript)
4
(No Transcript)
5
Legislative Background

• Town Country Planning Act 1990 makes provision
  for restricting or regulating the display of
  advertisements
• The Town Country Planning (Control of
  Advertisements) Regulations 1992 sets out the
  circumstances when advertisements can be
  displayed includes To Let signs

6
Current Restrictions

• Not more than one advertisement (either single
  board or two joined boards)
• Indication premises has been sold or let only by
  adding statement to existing board
• Advertisement to be removed within 14 days of let

7
Current Restrictions

• Size limits single board - 0.5 square metre two
  joined boards - 0.6 square metres
• Maximum projection from building 1 metre
• No illumination
• Character or symbols no more than 0.75m high
• No higher than 4.6m above ground level.

8
Aim of Council

• Council is looking to landlords to abide by a
  voluntary code which
• Controls the visual impact of To Let Boards
• Allows landlords to legitimately advertise their
  properties

9
Criteria of the Code

• Letting boards will be permitted from January 1st
  to September 30th (inclusive) and prohibited from
  October 1st to December 31st (inclusive).
• Only one board per building
• The board mounted flush to the wall above the
  front door, or if not possible, flush to the wall
  on the street frontage elevation. no higher than
  first-floor window sill level.
• white background and be 34cm x 48cm or 48cm x
  34cm.

10
Criteria of the Code

• One company logo per board not exceeding one
  third of the overall size of the advertising
  board. Logos and text in black and any one colour
  provided it a single uniform colour and not
  fluorescent.
• No Boards marked by Let By, Let, More
  wanted or similar wording
• One board per landlord/agent per street, or if
  properties have different numbers of bedrooms,
  one board for each property with a different
  number of bedrooms, up to a maximum of three per
  street, as long as the number of bedrooms is
  specified on the board.

11
Criteria of the Code

• Letting boards removed not later than 14 days
  after the granting of the tenancy and not
  displayed other than in the calendar year for
  which the tenancy is available.

12
Implications

• Successful adoption will reduce adverse impacts
  of proliferation of To-Let Boards.
• Not illegal to display signs within limits of
  advertisement regulations and no formal action
  can be taken by the Council against such
  advertisements.
• However, if the situation remains, an application
  can be made to Welsh Government for powers to
  control letting boards

13
Conclusions

• Looking to work with letting agents/landlords to
  achieve the aims of the code.