Since January 2015, landlords and lettings agents have needed to apply for advertisement consent to install lettings boards for residential properties. Court action and fines of up to £2,500 apply to boards that are not removed or do not have advertisement consent.
The move came following a successful application to the Government for a regulation 7 direction which applies in; Gosforth, Heaton, High West Jesmond, Jesmond (excluding parts of North Jesmond), Sandyford, Shieldfield, South Gosforth and Spital Tongues. The area of Jesmond covered by this regulation can be seen here.
Before the regulation came in to force there were parts of Jesmond that were permanently festooned with lettings boards.
Normally, letting boards are considered to have deemed consent under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations. However, a regulation 7 direction removes this deemed consent for a specified area. The display of “For Sale” boards and “To Let” boards on commercial properties in these areas continues to be able to be displayed in most cases.
Further information on this regulation can be found on the Newcastle City Council website where there is also an interactive map. (Link does not work from here or Newcastle Council Website at time of update – 18/03/2023).