City plans total ban on agents’ ‘eyesore’ boards

A city council aims to ban agents’ boards because it is concerned that up to a quarter of properties in some areas are displaying them.

The City of Lincoln Council has applied to the Government in Westminster for a ban on what it terms as “eyesore” boards in certain areas.

Boards on properties in Lincoln

The decision follows a consultation which received 134 responses, of which 85 expressed a wish for a “total ban” on “to let” boards.

Planning manager Kieron Manning said: “It’s shocking to think that some parts of the city have around 25% of the properties covered in ‘to let’ boards, and between the years 2004 and 2016 we have seen the number of complaints grow steadily, so we are aware that there is a problem.

“Now we have Executive approval, we can carry out the wishes of the majority of residents and apply to have the boards removed.”

The council will now apply directly to the Secretary of State for boards to be removed in areas of the city including: Monks Road, the West End, Sincil Bank, Union Road and Waterloo Street.

Once this has been approved, there will be a total ban on any “to let” boards in those areas, the council said.

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8 Comments

  1. ArthurHouse02

    “Majority of the residents”…The residents were that bothered that 134 of them responded, did the residents even know you were carrying out this survey or were only people that worked for the council canvassed?

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  2. GeorgeOrwell

    As I keep saying, I wrote a book about all of this.

    Simples really, display them inside the window of the property if it has a window? or a suitable road facing window. Or do the council intend dictating what people have in their homes/windows!

    Dear Council, whilst your at it, deal with all the sh*t looking satellite dishes, dirty pavements, council worker vans parked up whilst reading their papers, traffic wardens texting their friends whilst working, overpaid council chief executives, lazy workers, the weather, disease, poverty, homeless people who need help, people that double park outside schools, traffic jams, empty shops hecause your rates are too high – I’m just waaaaaarming up!

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    1. Bless You

      Commercial boards are worst. Why do they have to 9 metres x 4 meters. Makes town centres look terrible and it’s not like anyone local can afford the rates anyway.

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      1. AgencyInsider

        George – Had this issue in London some years back and found that the board ban also applied to putting one in the window of the property.

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  3. Richard Copus

    The domino effect has started.  More and more councils are appreciating that boards are unnecessary in urban areas in an age of sat nav and smart ‘phones.  At LGA (Local Government Association) meetings, more and more councils are relating their success stories which is encouraging an ever increasing number to follow suit.  We only have ourselves to blame as an industry for not self-policing the blatant disregard of the existing legislation.  My guess is that in 5 years time boards will be banned almost in their entirety with home owners and agents being allowed to place boards inside windows only where they do not cause visual pollution of the streetscene.

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    1. GPL

      Boards/Signs inside the window? That’ll be the way it used to be then. Progress, I’m happy with that.

      Next? reintroduce person walking with a red flag in front a car to warn pedestrians etc…. excellent idea. I’ll prepare for my Crowdfunding Campaign to Launch The Red Flag Company – Purveyors of finest quality Red Flags!

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  4. Terrierdave99

    Agents collectively only have themselves to blame. Blatantly leaving ‘sold’ and ‘let by’ boards for an eternity, often until the new occupier is fed up of seeing it and contacts them. Then there’s the issue of fake boards outside large developments especially apartment blocks where no-one realises they aren’t genuine. In both cases, just trying to get a bit of free advertising.

    Surely these boards belong in a bygone age?

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  5. Votta583

    All that needs to happen is the local authority police these erections under the town and country planning act control of advertisements 1992. Don’t stop genuine law abiding agents advertising as they should!!!! Fine the ones that commit breaches?!?!?

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