Street+Scene+-+Removing+Billboards

=**A strategy to remove advertising hoardings/billboards from Haringey**=


 * Haringey Billboards Action**

In October 2007 Haringey Billboards Action was set up by the Haringey Federation of Residents Associations. It was agreed to support the strategy developed in 2006 (see below), and to set up a special digital record/website of all hoardings in the borough.


 * Strategy**

A range of ideas were discussed at a joint meeting between reps from the Haringey Federation of Residents Associations (Jane Laporte & Dave Morris) and the LBH Planning Enforcement Dept (Sam Amoako-Adofo) on 27.3.06. This report is by DM (HFRA).

It was agreed that a systematic and effective strategy was needed, and that LBH, RAs and the HFRA needed to work in partnership. HFRA suggested the following 8-point program. Our interpretation of SA-A responses are given in italics. SA-A hoped to get back to us by the beginning of May.

//__Note:__// The Federation have adopted this strategy and also agreed to investigate if we are able to initiate any legal action ourselves against the companies concerned.


 * 1. Allocate or recruit LBH officer, or hire a specialist consultant to help develop a systematic removal action strategy (research, monitoring, legal action, publicity, liaison with RAs etc) focused mainly on the huge number of unlawful sites (the majority)**

//__Comment__// HFRA provided detailed information about the law, removal procedures and methodology used successfully by other Councils //__SA-A response__// Agreed one of these options is needed. Said dept very understaffed at the moment. Will consider allocating this issue to one of his officers…


 * 2. Borough-wide ‘mapping’ of all hoardings/sites, their planning status, to identify scale of problem**

//__Comment__// HFRA presented SA-A with detailed local survey by Woodlands Park RA which could be used as a ‘model’ for the whole borough. Also suggested a desk-top survey using planning dept records. //__SA-A response__// WPRA survey is excellent. Planning dept records are mostly ‘on paper’ and probably aren’t necessarily comprehensive or useable for this purpose. Would probably need to set up a new, well-organised recording system. It would be good if local RAs around the borough could do research and send it to him.


 * 3. Conduct research and surveys of specific ‘problem’ sites**

//__Comment__// This should especially be done where planning applications have been refused, but hoardings remain. Notorious sites could be targeted and made an example of but the site history and current situation needs to be carefully established. //__SA-A response__// Happy for RAs to identify such sites and provide the info to his team.


 * 4. Identify pilot areas for systematic removal action, as an example work with local RAs, conduct detailed, research, legal action, publicity and follow-up**

//__Comment__// This had been done fairly successfully in the West Green area by an LBH officer and WPRA. WPRA have followed it up to some extent, but the LBH officer involved had left. //__SA-A response__// A good idea but needs adequate staff and a systematic approach.


 * 5. Write to the 4 major companies responsible for the vast majority of all unlawful sites, threatening legal action, Anti-Social Behaviour Orders etc against the directors**

//__Comment__// This tactic was employed by Camden against commercial fly-posting companies - the mere threat resulted in considerable success. Could focus on one of the big four, say Clear Channel (which is vulnerable to bad publicity as it hopes to secure Olympic-related advertising contracts). //__SA-A response__// LBH can consider taking out an injunction at a Magistrates Ct against a company, preventing any activity in the borough. LB Southwark may have done something like this…


 * 6. General publicity against the problem and these companies**

//__Comment__// Needs a focus and consistancy to be successful (ie court cases, systematic strategy)


 * 7. Refuse all applications for such hoardings in future**

//__Comment__// All applications for these ugly, worthless hoardings should be refused as they only add to the unnecessary clutter, visual pollution and residents enjoyment of our streets. But could applications also be refused on the grounds that these companies are ‘not fit’ to get permission due to their systematic defiance and contempt of the planning laws and the public? //__SA-A response__// This is a planning matter, each application to be considered separately - its up to residents and RAs to object.


 * 8. In the case of an appeal against a rejected application for a hoarding, the Council should inform all original objectors.**

//__Comment__// Advertising issues, apparently, are the only planning issues where the Council doesn’t HAVE to inform objectors. //__SA-A response__// Couldn’t see any reason why the Council wouldn’t inform all objectors.