'A' Boards

There are a number of possible alternatives to 'A' Boards such as:

• wall mounted boards
• remote boards
• hanging signs
• awnings

A wide variety of these notices, signs, awnings and advertisements have 'Deemed Consent', meaning you don't need specific planning permission to erect them.

Deemed consent for signage

To benefit from Deemed Consent, signs used as an alternative to 'A' Boards:

• may only advertise the goods or services available at your premises
• (if your business is a shop) should only be put on external walls which have shop windows on them

Additionally, a sign must not:

• have any letters, figures or symbols over 0.75 metres in height, or 0.3 metres in a conservation area
• have its highest part at more than 4.6 metres above ground level, or 3.6 metres in a conservation area
• have its highest part above the level of the bottom of the first floor window in the wall where the advertisement is
• project more than 1 metre from the wall, or exceed two-thirds of the width of the pavement below it

If your advertisement or sign falls outside of Deemed Consent, apply for Advertisement Consent, which will be assessed against our planning policies.

If your shop is a listed building or in a conservation area, email: planning.enquiries@york.gov.uk to find out if you need specific consent, such as or listed building consent.

City Approved Boards

Within the 'A' Board prohibition zone it's intended to develop and establish the concept of a wall or building mounted boards, approved by us, known as 'City Approved Boards' (CAB).

CAB will be an official means of signposting or advertising private businesses, with limited locations and strict criteria.

Circumstances for using CAB are (only):

• where the sole or primary route or access to a business is via a narrow lane, passageway, snickleway or similar
• where a business does not have an obvious frontage or shop window directly on a main pedestrian thoroughfare
• where there are no or other means to ‘signpost’ a business location

Remote ‘A’ Boards and Shared ‘A’ Boards

For Remote A Boards (RAB) a business, or group of businesses in the case of a Shared 'A' Board (SAB), can propose a CAB to be located on a building.

• For RAB and SAB to be placed on a building a planning application will likely be required, which will consider the implications
• For RAB and SAB to be placed on the public highway you must apply for 'A' Board licences, and the Licensed 'A' Board Criteria is applicable

The UNESCO World Heritage city of Dubrovnik uses uniform banners; they're wall mounted at the entrance to the many narrow lanes, advertising the business, shops, restaurants.