Consultation – Amendments to the Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1992

The Department, in line with legislation already in place in England, proposes to introduce deemed advertising consent for advertisements on sites used for the preceding ten years or more for the display of advertisements without the required express consent.  It is also proposed to introduce discontinuance provisions which would allow (on an exceptional basis) the removal of any advertisements in the deemed consent category that cause a substantial injury to the amenity of the locality or a danger to public safety.

The Department considers the new proposals will go some way towards bringing the Northern Ireland legislation broadly into line with the current provisions in England.  In addition they will provide clarification as to the status of long standing unauthorised advertisements; align with time limits for enforcement action against certain other breaches of planning control; and provide a measure of deregulation for the advertisement control regime.

The purpose of the consultation is to obtain views on the introduction of a statutory rule to amend the Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1992.