Fly-posting
We take fly-posting seriously, especially where the advert creates a safety hazard or negative affect on the appearance of a neighbourhood.
Fly-posting is displaying advertisements without the permission of the property owner. In some cases, we (the council) might be the owner. For example, highway structures, such as railings at the edge of a road, street signage and traffic lights. In this case, the advertiser must ask for permission from the council.
There are some types of advertising that do not require specific permission, as they have 'deemed consent' under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) regulations (PDF, 1 MB).
For example, travelling circuses or fairs can put up advertisements if they give advance notice, but only if they have the permission of the owner of the property or land on which it is placed, which in the case of street furniture is the council as the highway authority.
Estate agents may put up boards advertising a property for sale or to let, but the regulations contain limitations as to the display of such boards, including:
- not more than 1 advertisement is permitted at 1 location
- the advertisement must be removed within 14 days after the completion of a sale, or the grant of a tenancy, and must not be fixed permanently to the building.
We may grant permission for local events of community benefit to display advertising on highway structures or private property.
What we can do
The action we take will depend on what kind of advertising has been placed and what is has been attached to.
For example, if the advertisement is on street furniture without permission, we have the power to remove it.
If it is on private property, but does not have the relevant permissions, a notice is served on the owner, requiring them to remove the advertising within a specified period. If the owner did not know the advertising had been attached to their property, we may remove it on their behalf.
Report fly-posting and advertising
If you see posters stuck to lampposts, street furniture or highway fence or railings, report it to us, providing:
- the name and address of the person(s) responsible (if you know it)
- a full descriptions of the precise location(s)
- whether you think it is likely to happen again
- what impact the posters have on the community.