§ Mr. FranksTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now give effect to the Government's proposals for amending and consolidating the Control of Advertisements Regulations.
§ Mr. ChopeAs foreshadowed in the reply on 4 July last year, by my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Waldegrave) my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Secretary of State for Wales have today laid before Parliament amending Control of Advertisements 591W Regulations which modernise the present regulations and introduce some carefully considered de-regulatory provisions.
Among the new provisions two categories of illuminated advertisement are being permitted without first obtaining the local planning authority's prior consent. These are small signs on "business premises" and on commercial premises in "retail parks", where the sign consists of individual characters or letters, internally illuminated. Because illuminated signs on shops and other commercial premises can sometimes be garish and unsympathetic, or may confuse passers-by, safeguards will ensure that the advertisements permitted for display will not harm amenity or put vehicle drivers or pedestrians at risk. As an additional safeguard, this type of illuminated 592W sign will not be permitted in any conservation area, national park, area of outstanding natural beauty or area of special control of advertisements.
These regulations will provide some worthwhile relaxation of the present unnecessarily restrictive rules, while at the same time maintaining essential safeguards for the quality of the built environment.