Farnham’s Neighbourhood Plan helps prevent advertising monolith
A government planning inspector has overturned an appeal and has prevented the installation of an obtrusive advertisement display feature at Farnham’s busiest crossroads.
Farnham Town Council strongly objected to a planning application to site a 2.75 by 1.14 metre, double sided, freestanding digital information and advertising display at Hickley’s Corner on the grounds that it conflicted with the Neighbourhood Plan policy on advertisement control and was inappropriate in the proposed location. Farnham Town Council has had a long-standing policy to avoid cluttering the historic town centre with inappropriate electronic advertising.
Waverley councillors agreed with the Town Council’s view and refused planning permission due to how the ‘size and position of the sign would result in an increased sense of clutter within the street scene and an overbearing impact on the amenity of the area’.
The applicant appealed the decision which led to it being referred to the government’s planning inspectorate.
Councillor Graham White, Leader of Farnham Town Council says: “I am delighted with the news that the planning inspector has respected the importance of the Neighbourhood Plan policy on advertising. In concluding that the ‘proposal would be unduly detrimental to amenity’ and referencing the Neighbourhood Plan, I believe he has demonstrated respect for the wishes of the many local people who contributed to this important document.”
“Farnham’s Neighbourhood Plan aims to preserve Farnham’s unique characteristics and prevent it from becoming like any other town. The proposal to install this advertising monolith was ill thought out and totally out of keeping with the urban landscape. This is a small but significant victory for residents’ wishes and demonstrates the significance of the Neighbourhood Plan in influencing and shaping our town.”
In his decision notice, the planning inspector recognised how the trees and Farnham in Bloom planters contribute to the ‘low-key feel’ of Hickley’s Corner. He expressed how he was ‘strongly of the view that an illuminated advertisement display of the scale, and in the position, proposed would be visually alien and appear as a less than low-key format in a prominent location’.
A copy of the Inspector’s decision notice can be found on Waverley Borough Council’s website by searching the planning portal for WA/2025/00501.