Sponsored by
Plan to ban signs on historic city square
Sign of times: Council planners want regulation on for sale signs in Winckley Square, Preston
A plan to ban for sale signs from Preston’s historic Winckley Square have been unveiled.
The city’s council is pressing ahead with plans to force estate agents to apply for permission to put up signs around the square and neighbouring streets.
It said it will stop the area looking “down at the heel” by forcing agents to consider different ways to promote buildings for sale and to rent.
Agents have warned the council will have a fight on its hands to ban the boards.
John Crellin, city centre planning manager at the council, said: “We looked at whether the proliferation of these advertising boards and a detrimental impact on the character of the Square and concluded we did.
“Obviously, the council recognises the need to market these properties and we are looking at alternatives including signs in shop windows on places like Fishergate and creating an online display board.”
He added the changes would not be automatically put in place even if they received the approval from the council’s cabinet, which will discuss the plans next Wednesday.
Mr Crellin added: “We would have to apply to the Government for the powers to do this which could add a further six months to the process.”
Environment director Mick Lovatt added that signs in the historic town of Lytham had adopted a more “subtle” approach to advertising vacant units.
Under the proposals, due to be debated by the council’s cabinet next week, the restrictions will cover Winckley Square, Chapel Street, Winckley Street, Garden Street, Ribblesdale Place and Starkie Street.
Jody Lauder, a surveyor at Petty Commercial, warned it would be “extremely hard” to convince agents to scrap using the signs.
Martin Ainsworth, of property agents HDAK, added the problem around the Square was having the right accommodation available.
Architect David Cox, of Wood Associates, said: “If there was decent Grade A space on the square it would get moving.”
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Preston
Saturday 18 May 2013
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 8 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: North west
