Fitness centre fined for planning breach
A LANCASTER fitness centre has been ordered to pay £2,362 in a fine and costs after pleading guilty to illegally displaying advertising signs.
Total Fitness on Caton Road was fined £1,700 and ordered to pay costs of £632 following their recent prosecution at Lancaster Magistrates’ Court.
The prosecution was brought by Lancaster City Council following the display of signs on numerous occasions, which were attached to railings at the junction of Mannin Way and Caton Road Lancaster, without the necessary consent.
Under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 it is illegal to display advertising signs without the consent of the Local Planning Authority. Such signs can often be a danger to highway safety.
The court heard that Total Fitness were asked on a number of occasions to remove the illegal signs and been issued with written warnings.
Despite this the company persisted with the signs and the council was left with no option but to prosecute.
Coun Keith Budden, chairman of the council’s Planning Committee, said: “The laws requiring consent for advertising are there for a good reason - they ensure that our streets and highways are not cluttered with untidy signage.
“This is particularly important on Caton Road as it is the gateway to Lancaster and we want to leave visitors to the city with a good impression of our beautiful district.
“At the same time we realise the importance to businesses of advertising and will work with them to find a suitable solution if they approach us for advice.”
Date Published: 04/11/09