Large and “unsightly” to let and for sale signs could be banned from city centre buildings in Aberdeen under new plans to protect the character of the area.
The local authority is consulting on changes to their city centre conservation area, and also want to include five more areas in it.
It is currently centred on Union Street and some of the surrounding streets.
As part of updating the plan, the council want to apply to the Scottish Government to persuade them to remove deemed consent for large to let and for sale signs in the city centre.
This would allow the local authority to have control over what type of sign can be erected on properties that are on the market.
In the consultation document, the signs are described as “unsightly” and they “detract from the amenity and special character of the Conservation Area.”
If given increased control of this, the council could make sure “this impact could be minimised”.
Boundary changes
In addition, boundary changes have been proposed that would add five new areas into the Aberdeen city centre conservation plan.
These are:
• Marischal Square and the immediate area
• 41-43 Holburn Street (The Foundry), 16-18 Union Grove, and 28-38 Holburn Street and 4-14 Union Grove
• 8-14 Chapel Street
• 15-17 Gallowgate
• 12-14 Virginia Street and 22-24 Virginia Street
The council are charged with looking after conservation areas in the city due to their “special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it
is desirable to preserve or enhance.”
A consultation has been launched for the public to read the updated Conservation Area Appraisal for Union Street and air their opinions.
City centre spokeswoman councillor Marie Boulton urged residents to take part in this exercise.
She said: “Our beautiful city centre is filled with heritage and buildings which show the development of the city from medieval times to the grand Georgian and Victorian buildings to the modern-day.
“We’d urge anyone who lives or works in the area, or has an interest in the built heritage of Aberdeen, to take part in the consultation.”
Consultation
The last time the document was updated was 2007 and now needs to be added to due to recent developments.
Officers have reviewed the conservation area and came to the conclusions set out in the new appraisal.
It will become a key document and will be referred to whenever planning decisions are made within the city centre, from small alterations to large new developments.
The consultation runs until April 2, after which all comments will be summarised and reported back to a future council planning meeting.