Shop Fronts and Signs

The Planning Office has produced a leaflet that offers advice on the design of shop fronts and signs for retail and non retail premises including building societies, restaurants, estate agents & betting shops. It explains how Hart District Council will seek to improve the quality of the shopping environment through encouraging retention of the best of the existing shop fronts and by requiring a high  standard of design for replacement of new shop fronts. Poorly designed shop fronts, the use of brash colours, signs and materials, and the use of excessively large display windows, irrespective of the surroundings, can considerably reduce the appeal of a shopping street.

Installation of new shop fronts or alterations to existing ones normally require planning permission, and may require listed buildings consent and/or advertisement consent. The leaflet is in three parts. Part 1 covers all existing shop fronts. Part  2 applies to modern shops. Part 3 deals with the more exacting standards of design that apply to Listed Buildings and buildings in Conservation areas. The Building Control and Environmental Health section of the Council should be contacted to establish whether Building Regulation and/or Public Health approvals are required.

Please see downloads for the leaflet.