§ Lord Willoughby de Brokeasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their policy on the siting of advertising billboards on agricultural land which is outside conservation areas. [HL76]
§ Lord WhittyThe siting of all outdoor advertisements in England is controlled by the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1992. Where agricultural land is included in Areas of Special Control of Advertisements (ASCAs) large advertisement hoardings are prohibited. In areas outside ASCAs, express consent to display a billboard is required from the local planning authority. In considering applications, authorities will need to have regard to government policy set out in Planning Policy Guidance 19 (Outdoor Advertisement Control). This says that "poster advertising is out of place in the open countryside and should not normally be allowed". Responsibiltiy for these matters in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland rests with the devolved administrations.