Flyposting
Flyposting is defined as ”the
display of advertising material on buildings and street furniture
without the consent of the owner” and it is illegal under the Town
and Country Planning Act and the Clean Neighbourhoods and
Environment Act 2005.
Flyposting can be divided into three broad types, each with
their own characteristics and problems of control:
- Adverts primarily for local events, often photocopies put up in
large numbers on a regular basis. These may advertise bands playing
in pubs, or car-boot sales. They may be attached to lampposts,
railings and street furniture or pasted on buildings.
- Posters advertising products of large organisations and put up
by professional poster ‘companies’. These are usually large high
quality, colour posters, such as for record releases. They are
often pasted on vacant buildings and signal control/telecoms
boxes.
- Posters displayed by pressure groups or political bodies. These
are generally ad hoc and sporadic with no clear pattern to their
location.
It is also illegal to place "A" Frames advertising businesses on
the highway without the consent of the Highways Authority (Kent
Highways 08458 247 800) you will also need planning permission if
you intend to place them on the highway. If "A" Frames are
placed on the highway without consent or planning permission, the
Council reserve the right to remove them as litter.
What is the Cost of Flyposting?
ENCAMS, the
environmental charity that runs the Keep Britain Tidy campaign,
estimates that a good proportion of the £342 million of public
money that is spent every year clearing litter is used to combat
flyposting.
Flyposting can make neighbourhoods look squalid and unsafe
especially if they are blighted with graffiti and vandalism.
The first ever ASBO for flyposting was
given to man in Nottingham in May 2004 and the second, on senior
executives of two major record companies, was successfully sought
in the courts by Camden Council a week later. In applying for the
ASBO the
council defined flyposting as causing “harassment, alarm or
distress” – the criteria required to gain an order. Lasting two
years, ASBOs
aim to prevent bad behaviour and can stop offenders entering
certain areas.
Environmental Services does not have the powers to deal with
illegal flyposting, this should either be dealt with by the
Planning Department under Section 224 of the Town and Country
Planning Act or Kent Highways (08458 247 800) under Section 132 of
The Highways Act (1980)
This webpage was updated on
7/23/2008