Appendix 1 – Finalised Advertisement Control Planning Guidance
Perth and Kinross Council · 27 August 2025
Back to Economy and Infrastructure Committee — 27 August 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
1 Perth and Kinross Council Advertisement Control Non-statutory planning guidance Final Draft – August 2025 Perth and Kinross Council (PKC) Policy on Signposting 1. Advertisements play an important role in our lives: they provide information and an awareness of services and products. But to serve their purpose, advertisements must command attention through the careful selection of sites, sizes, colours and, in some cases, methods of illumination. If there were no planning controls, advertisers would compete with each other by exaggerating each of these characteristics and the resulting clamour for attention would have serious effects on the appearance of our towns, villages and countryside. 2. In order to strike a balance between the conflicting interests of freedom for advertisers and the appearance of our surroundings, central government has provided regulations for use by planning authorities that set out the circumstances in which advertisements need permission. PKC’s Planning Authority’s interpretation of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (Scotland) Regulations 1984 is set out in this document as a broad guide to everyone resident and having a business in Perth and Kinross of the standards the Authority is trying to achieve. Areas of Special Advertisement Control 3. The whole of the countryside in Perth and Kinross is an ‘Area of Special Control’ which, as the name suggests, implies tight control on the erection of signs and general advertisements out with built-up areas. Within built-up areas, different considerations apply but, again, there is a need for restraint in the amount of advertising permissible. 4. The countryside in Perth and Kinross is defined here as any area out with the settlement boundaries outlined in the current Local Development Plan covering the area. For clarity, this also includes plans prepared by National Parks Planning Authorities. The ‘Area of Special Control’ will change accordingly should settlement boundaries change. Advertisement Signs on Listed Buildings and within Conservation Areas 5. Within Conservation Areas and on Listed Buildings new advertisements must be properly related to the architectural design of the buildings on which they are displayed. Particular attention will be paid to the size of lettering, and dignified styles should be employed with illumination restricted to the lettering only.
Page 2
2 6. In Conservation Areas with a Regulation 11 Order, the deemed consents for advertisements listed in Schedule 4 of the regulations may not apply. For clarification, please refer to PKC's Interactive Heritage Map. Advance Warning Signs for Individual Premises 7. Advance signs will be permitted where, in the opinion of the Planning Authority, the display is ‘reasonably necessary’ for the transmission of information to the public, and where signs are not detrimental to the interests of amenity or road safety. The signs should only contain information, and the use of any general advertising will be discouraged. Official Directional Signs for Individual Premises 8. Official directional road signs (i.e. brown signs) will be considered by the Roads Authority in the following instances: a) If the Council is required to provide its own directional signage to communities along major roads; b) If the official directional signs to the nearest town or village are inadequate to guide users to an establishment; c) If the signage relates to a tourist destination that has received an official letter of accreditation from Visit Scotland. N.B. Hotels and restaurants are not regarded as tourist destination for the purposes of this policy. Advertisements on Buildings 9. In determining applications for consent to display advertisements on buildings, the Planning Authority will pay particular attention to design, dimensions, and position of the advertisement together with its impact on the building. The Planning Authority will not permit advertisements which would have a detrimental effect on the amenity and character of the street. In the interests of amenity, and in order to avoid clutter, the numbers of advertisements should be restricted to a minimum. In the case of signs erected within the curtilage of buildings, no more than one double sided sign will be permitted at the junction of an access drive with the public road. Illuminated Advertisements (including digital displays) 10. The impact of illuminated advertisements on amenity and public safety requires special consideration, especially with the growing use of digital displays. When considering applications for such signage the Planning Authority will refer to the most recent industry guidance on best practice, further detailed in Appendix 3. Enforcement 11. In the case of unauthorised signs on private land, the Planning Authority will use its Planning Enforcement Charter and will secure the removal of unacceptable signs through the powers
Page 3
3 contained in Regulations. Information on enforcement, including how to report a planning breach, can be found on the Planning Enforcement webpage. 12. Under Section 59 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, it is an offence to place or deposit anything in a road (including the footpath/pavement), so as to cause an obstruction, except with the Roads Authority’s written consent. Unauthorised signage may be subject to removal by the Roads Authority under their enforcement powers, including advertisements on A-boards, in line with the Council’s A-Board Guidelines.
Page 4
4 Detailed Guidelines for Advertisers 13. The detailed guidelines which follow have been produced to assist potential applicants. The guidelines should be read in conjunction with Appendix 1 which lists those types of signs which do not require advertisement consent. Applicants are encouraged to visit our Other Consents and Permissions Application Checklist webpage for information on submission requirements or refer to the pre-application service webpage if seeking advice on a proposal. Advance Warning Signs for Individual Premises 14. Location – Where the principle of an individual sign is accepted, the display should normally comprise one double sided sign at the public/private road junction leading directly to the premises advertised. A series of repetitive signs will be unacceptable. In cases where two or more advance signs are justified at one road junction, the use of a composite sign will be encouraged. All signs must be erected out with the roads boundary. 15. Scale And Design – The overall size of individual advance signs will not normally exceed 1200 mm x 600 mm or be more than 1.5 m in height from ground level. The signs should contain only explanatory information rather than general advertising. 16. Illumination – Illumination will be permitted providing it can be done without prejudice to road safety. Figure 1: Advance warning signs for individual premises
Page 5
5 Shops and Offices 17. Location – In general terms, advertisement of commercial premises should be restricted to the fascia area of those premises having fascia displays. Only one projecting sign per commercial frontage will generally be allowed. The lower edge of such a sign must be at least 2450 mm above pavement level and must be set back at least 500 mm from the kerb. 18. Large-scale displays on windows using posters or adhesive vinyls are discouraged in order to retain an active frontage, preserve visual amenity and encourage vitality of the street. 19. Generally, displays covering the windows of vacant premises may be acceptable where they enhance the streetscape and are not considered to be advertisement clutter. 20. Scale And Design – the size of any advertisement should be related to the scale and form of the building on which it is displayed. The depth of any fascia should either be made to fit the space designed for it or, where no such space exists, its depth should not exceed 700 mm or one half of the vertical size between the top of the shop front and the sill of the first floor window, whichever is the smaller. Lettering should generally be restricted to 300 mm unless on a large scale building. Where lettering is applied directly to the face of the building without the use of a fascia board, its height will be subject to the same conditions. 21. Hand-painted fascias and hanging signs are encouraged. 22. The display of large projecting signs and advertisements on gable walls, forecourt walls, roofs and fences are generally discouraged. Figure 2: Fascias
Page 6
6 Figure 4: Large projecting signs and advertisements on gable walls, forecourt walls, roofs and fences are discouraged. 23. Illumination – Preference will be given to signs with individually illuminated letters. In all cases where illuminated signs are permitted, conditions will be attached to limit the luminance of the display. Illuminated signs must not resemble or be erected in close proximity to official highway or traffic lights. 24. In Conservation Areas and on listed buildings full length illuminated box type fascia signs and illuminated box type projecting signs are unlikely to be supported. 25. When assessing an application for advertisement consent, all illuminated advertisements (including digital displays) will be evaluated according to the technical guidance provided in Appendix 3. Hotels, Public Houses and Restaurants 26. Location – Generally, a greater amount of display is appropriate due to dependence on passing trade, although stricter control will be necessary where they relate to listed buildings or are located in Conservation Areas. Figure 3: Hanging signs
Page 7
7 27. One projecting sign on each frontage is the preferred arrangement, with any additional signs being wall mounted. Where the building is set back, consideration will be given to a free standing sign. 28. Scale And Design – Scale should be carefully related to that of the building and should not mask architectural features. Encouragement will be given to the use of individual designed signs in preference to standard ‘company’ signs. 29. Illumination – Illumination of signs is acceptable for these types of uses. External illumination of fascia, projecting or free standing pole mounted signs in preferable to internally illuminated box signs. Garages and Petrol Filling Stations 30. Location – The appropriate levels of display would normally comprise pole mounted illuminated totem style signage which may also display price or special offers. If a site has a frontage to more than one road, pole mounted signs may be permitted on more than one frontage. 31. Scale And Design – Forecourts should be kept free from the accumulation of advertising clutter through the rationalisation of advertisements on display. In particular, the display of banner signs on boundary fences or free standing structures is discouraged. 32. Illumination – It is appropriate for the pole mounted sign, and the company name and logo to be illuminated. Additional illumination, particularly of the entire canopy fascia, is considered excessive and will not be permitted. Industrial Buildings 33. Location – Advertisements identifying businesses or their products should generally be confined to the walls of the building, although free standing signs may be allowed where there are large yards or forecourts. 34. Scale And Design – Generally, the scale of signs and lettering should not be excessive in relation to the size of the building. 35. Illumination – Illumination of advertisements may be appropriate for the identification of individual properties within an industrial area, but should not be of a level which would cause nuisance to neighbouring residential areas. Display Panels or Hoardings 36. Location – New hoardings should be confined to small gap sites in urban areas, particularly those of a temporary nature, where it is proposed that a new building is to be erected. There will Figure 5: Petrol station display
Page 8
8 be a presumption against new hoardings in rural areas, Conservation Areas, predominantly residential areas, open areas within towns and villages and on or beside listed buildings. 37. Scale And Design – The scale and design of a hoarding should be related to the size and layout of the site. Where a gap site is involved a generous landscaping treatment should be incorporated. If free standing, it should be integrated into the framework of a wall, fence or purpose designed structure. 38. Illumination – In areas where hoardings may be allowed, there will normally be adequate levels of street lighting. If additional external illumination is considered appropriate the light source should be screened from any public area. Applications for digital hoardings will be evaluated according to the technical guidance on illuminated advertisements provided in Appendix 3. Bunting/Flags etc. 39. Banners, bunting and commercial flags bearing sponsors names etc. are considered inappropriate for permanent display. Flyposting (including Portable Signs) 40. Any flyposting within the Road boundary is illegal and any instances will be reported the Council’s Roads Authority for immediate action. In other cases of flyposting on private property or buildings the practice will be discouraged by use of the Planning Authority’s powers of enforcement. Concluding Remarks 41. Whilst this is an advice note, the Planning Authority strongly recommend that note is taken as Officers will use this as a guide to deem what is reasonable and ensure that in P&K the right balance is struck allowing advertising while ensuring no clutter or proliferation of adverts. As it is an advice note, there is scope for interpretation with a thought through design.
Page 9
9 Appendix 1: Advertisements for which Consent is not Required under The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (Scotland) Regulations 1984, as Amended 42. The classes of advertisements displayed with deemed consent presented below are specified in Schedule 4 of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (Scotland) Regulations 1984, as amended. Deemed consent is subject to conditions specified in Schedule 4 which should be referred to for further detail on each class. 43. It is important to note that not all deemed consents apply where a Regulation 11 Order has been issued. This is relevant to most Conservations Areas. For more information, please refer to PKC's Interactive Heritage Map. Class 1 – Functional Advertisements 44. Advertisements relating to the functions of local authorities, community councils, statutory undertakers and public transport undertakers, which are reasonably required. Advertisements erected by a Planning Authority on land within their area. Figure 6: Functional advertisements
Page 10
10 Class 2 – Advertisements relating to Land on which Displayed 45. (a) For the purpose of identification, direction or warning. 46. (b) Relating to any person, partnership or company carrying on a profession, business or trade at the premises. Limited to one advertisement per person etc. or two if entrances on different roads. 47. (c) Relating to any institution of a religious, cultural, educational, recreational or medical character, or to any hotel, public house, block of flats, club or boarding house. Limited to one advertisement, or two if entrances on different roads. Class 3 – Certain Temporary Advertisements 48. Referring to the sale or letting of land or buildings (single board – 2 sq metres or in the case of joined boards together 2.3 sq metres). Sale of goods or livestock not on a regular basis (1.2 sq metres maximum). Building works (2 sq metres maximum). Announcement of local event (0.6 sq metres maximum). Demonstration of agricultural methods (display not to exceed 1.2 sq metres and no individual advertisement to exceed 0.4 sq metres). Advertisements on hoarding enclosing land where building operations are taking place which is designated in a Development Plan for commercial, industrial or business purposes and is not in a Conservation Area or an Area of Special Advertisement Control must be between 1.5 and 3.1 metres in height and between 1.0 and 6.1 metres in length. Figure 7: Advertisements relating to land on which displayed Figure 8: Certain temporary advertisements a b c
Page 11
11 Class 4 – Advertisements on Business Premises 49. Advertisement displayed on business premises related to activity carried on, goods sold or service provided. There are limitations on the area of advertisement, height of letters, and height above ground level. In the case of shops the wall must contain a display window. 50. Advertisements displayed within forecourts of business premises are limited to an aggregate area of 4.5 sq metres on each frontage. Figure 9: Advertisements on business premises Figure 10: Advertisements on business premises forecourt
Page 12
12 Class 5 – Advertisements Within Buildings 51. Advertisements displayed within any building where no one advertisement exceeds 250 sq cm in area, and where any group of adverts does not total more than one tenth area of door or window where displayed. Illuminated advertisements must not incorporate any moving feature or animation. For clarification, this applies to advertisements which are within a distance of one metre from any external door, window, or other opening through which the advertisement is visible from outside the building. Class 6 – Illuminated Advertisements 52. Individually illuminated letters limited to one advertisement fixed to the face of the building and not projecting more than 0.25 metres. The advertisement must not incorporate a moving feature or be illuminated intermittently. Minimum height of lowest part of advertisement 2.5 metres and maximum height 4.6 metres from ground level. There is no change in Conservation Area or Area of Special Advertisement Control. Figure 12: Illuminated advertisements 53. In the case of Classes 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 advertisements the maximum height of letters is 0.75 metre and 0.3 metre in an Area of Special Advertisement Control. Maximum height above ground level of highest part of advertisement is 4.6 metres and in an Area of Special Advertisement Control 3.6 metres unless otherwise stated. It is important to remember that all advertisements in Classes 1-6 must not obscure any road traffic signs or render hazardous the use of any road, railway, waterway or airfield. Figure 11: Advertisements within buildings
Page 13
13 Class 7 – Advertisements on ground based housing for electronic communications apparatus 54. Advertisements displayed on ground based housing for electronic communications apparatus required to be attached to that housing by virtue of Articles 8 and 9 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1828/2006 setting out rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund and of Regulation (EC) No 1080/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Regional Development Fund. Regulation 12: Election Notices, Statutory Advertisements, Traffic Signs Figure 13: Election notices, statutory advertisements, traffic signs 55. Advertisements are granted deemed consent if they (a) relate to pending elections, (b) are statutory notices required by legislation or parliamentary procedure, or (c) are authorised traffic signs for safety and guidance. These must meet the following conditions: (a) election-related adverts must be removed within 14 days after polling; (b) temporary statutory or traffic-related advertisements must be removed promptly authorised period ends, or within a reasonable time if no period is specified; (c) statutory notices must comply with applicable limits on size, number, and height in relation to the display of advertisements of that class, and must not exceed what is necessary to fulfil their intended purpose. Miscellaneous Advertisements Exempt from Regulations 56. (a) Advertisements not readily visible from outside the curtilage; (b) within buildings; (c) on a vehicle (primarily employed as a moving vehicle but not when used primarily for the display of advertisements); (d) forming part of the fabric of a building; (e) & (f) advertisements on balloons flown at a height exceeding 60 metres or on a captive balloon advertising the premises to which it is tethered, limited to ten days in any year providing it is not in a Conservation Area or an Area of Special Advertisement Control, finally; (g) advertisements displayed on an article for sale or on a pump from which liquid or gas is sold provided it is not illuminated and does not exceed 0.1 sq metres in area.
Page 14
14 Figure 14: Miscellaneous advertisements exempt from regulations
Page 15
15 Appendix 2: Standard Conditions 57. Standard conditions are imposed in relation to all consents for the display of advertisements as set out below: 1) All advertisements displayed and any land used for the display of advertisements shall be maintained in clean and tidy condition to reasonable satisfaction of the Local Planning Authority. 2) Any hoarding or similar structure or any sign, placard, board or device erected or used principally for the purpose of displaying advertisements shall be maintained in a safe condition to the reasonable satisfaction of the Local Planning Authority. 3) Where any advertisement is required under the regulations to be removed, the removal thereof shall be carried out to the reasonable satisfaction of the Local Planning Authority. 4) Before an advertisement is displayed on land the permission of the owner of that land or other person entitled to grant permission shall be obtained. 58. Where an advertisement has deemed consent the following standard condition also applies: 5) Advertisements shall not be sited or displayed so as to obscure, or hinder the ready interpretation of, any road traffic sign, railway signal or aid to navigation by water or air, or so as to otherwise render hazardous the use of any road, railway, waterway (including any coastal waters) or airfield.
Page 16
16 Appendix 3: Technical Guidance on Illuminated Advertisements (including digital displays) 59. Illuminated advertisements are required to meet the conditions specified in Schedule 4 of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (Scotland) Regulations 1984 to be eligible for deemed consent. In all cases, the guidance detailed below will apply. 60. The technical guidance that follows was taken from the Professional Lighting Guide 05/23 (PLG05/23) “The Brightness of Illuminated Advertisements Including Digital Displays” (2023) published by the Institution of Lighting Professionals. We shall apply new standards where these are brought forward and update this guidance accordingly. 61. In accordance with the Institute of Lighting Professionals recommendations in PLG05/23, advertisements will be illuminated only in a manner as reasonably required to fulfil the purpose of the advertisement within the appropriate zoning. The PLG05/23 considers five lighting environmental zones described in the table below: Table 1: Lighting environmental zones Zone Surrounding Lighting Environment Examples E0 Protected Dark Astronomical Observable dark skies, UNESCO starlight reserves, IDA dark sky places E1 Natural Dark Relatively uninhabited rural areas, National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, IDA buffer zones etc. E2 Rural Low district brightness Sparsely inhabited rural areas, village or relatively dark outer suburban locations E3 Suburban Medium district brightness Well inhabited rural and urban settlements, small town centres or suburban locations E4 Urban High district brightness Town and city centres and other commercial areas with high levels of night-time activity 62. The PLG05/23 summarises the latest research on effects of colourful dynamic lighting (including digital displays) on the day and night-time environment. The maximum levels of display luminance will not exceed the thresholds specified in PLG05/23, shown in the tables below:
Page 17
17 Table 2: Recommended maximum night-time permitted values of display luminance Light Technical Parameter Maximum sign luminance (L,) cd / m2 Environmental zones Sign surface area E0 E1 E2 E3 E4 0 to < 5 m2 0 25 200 300 300 5 to < 20 m2 0 0 200 300 300 ≥ 20 m2 0 0 100 200 300 63. Illuminated displays are generally required to be switched off between midnight and 05:00 unless it is agreed with the planning authority that the installation is required to be operational at this time, in which case the display luminance shall be 50% of the figure in Table 2. 64. During daytime, the permitted value of display luminance is increased due to higher levels of background ambient lighting, shown below: Table 3: Recommended maximum daytime permitted values of sign luminance Daylight ambient Illuminance (Eh) [lux] Sign Luminance [cd/m2] Up to 3,500 ≤ 400 3,501 to 8,500 (overcast day) ≤ 1,000 8,501 to 15,000 (bright day with cloud cover) ≤ 2,500 15,001 to 25,000 (bright sunny day) ≤ 3,500 25,001 to 42,000 (direct sunlight) ≤ 5,000 42,001 and above > 5,000
Page 18
18 65. Given the variations in daylight ambient lighting conditions, digital displays shall have a control device or other appropriate technology to ensure luminance is controlled in response to ambient light levels, as per the values in the table above. Image Rate of Change 66. Illuminated advertisements, including digital displays, are categorized into four classifications as outlined in Table 4. When positioned in proximity to the road network, particularly at junctions, this type of advertisement will be carefully considered, as dynamic or variable displays may pose a distraction to drivers. Table 4: Image rate of change categories for illuminated advertisements including digital displays Category Description Example F1 Static non-changing displays Unchanging display, traditional billboard, paper display in bus shelter, displays of fuel prices. F2 Static displays that change sequentially Digital displays, large and small format, showing static advertisements that change sequentially, road maintenance signage. F3 Variable displays / partial motion Pharmaceutical cross, stroboscope light. F4 Dynamic full motion displays Video / movie advertising display, or live transmission. Standard Conditions for Illuminated Advertisements, including Digital Displays 67. In addition to the luminance controls discussed above, the PLG05/23 recommends the following conditions also apply to illuminated advertisements, including digital displays, that consist of changing images: • There shall be no moving images, animation, intermittent or full motion video images, audio, directional symbols, or any images that resemble road signs or traffic signals, unless consent has been granted. • Static images shall not change more frequently than every 10 seconds, unless approved to do so by the planning authority. • Where multiple displays appear together, then the rate of change in each display shall be co- ordinated and consistent. Where such displays appear as a line together, then the transitions for each display shall be set such that they change all at once, but do not change in sequence along the road. • The advertisement shall at all times contain a feature that will turn the display off (showing a black/blank screen) in the event of malfunction or error.
Page 19
19 Useful Links • Adopted Local Development Plan (LDP2) - Perth & Kinross Council • Cairngorms National Park - Local Development Plan • Interactive heritage map - Perth & Kinross Council • Planning enforcement - Perth & Kinross Council • Other Consents and Permissions Application Checklist • Pre-application services - Perth & Kinross Council • A-Board Guidelines