§ LORD MANCROFTasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether planning permission is required before petrol stations can festoon themselves with strings of little flags; and, if not, whether there is any other means of preventing the spread of this further vulgarisation of the roadside.
§ LORD MITCHISONPlanning permission is not required. The control of Advertisement Regulations, however, provide that subject to certain conditions advertising matter can be displayed on business premises, as defined in the regulations, without express consent, but that the local planning authority may require application to be made for such consent in particular cases and may refuse it if they decide that the display constitutes a substantial injury to amenity or a danger to the public.
Whether the flags referred to are advertisements within the meaning of the regulations and, if so, whether they 922WA may be displayed without express consent would have to be decided on the facts of each case.