Appeal 6005700

Appeal A is allowed and express consent is granted for a fascia sign as applied for. The consent is for five years from the date of this decision and is subject to the five standard conditions set out in Schedule 2 of the 2007 Regulations.

Appeal B is allowed and listed building consent is granted for painting the external window frames and front door sage green and installation of new fascia sign at [site address] in accordance with the terms of the application ref: 25/0626/LBC, and the plans submitted with it.

I have used the description of the sign and the works for the appeals from the Council’s decision notice as this provides a more accurate description that those on the application forms.

The two appeals concern the same scheme under different, complementary legislation. I have dealt with both appeals together in my reasoning.

As the appeals relate to a listed building in a conservation area, I have had special regard to sections 16(2) and 72(1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (the Act).

I saw on site that the works have been carried out, the shop front painted, and fascia sign installed. I have determined the appeals accordingly.

The list entry number (1062118) relates to [address]. However, the Council has confirmed that its records show the property to be No [site address] . Notwithstanding the Council’s records and the Historic England plan, I am satisfied that the sign and works are in respect of a listed building as described in the list description.

Powers under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007 (the Regulations) to control advertisements may only be exercised in the interests of amenity and public safety, taking into account (a) the provisions of the development plan, so far as they are material; and (b) any other relevant factors. The National Planning Policy Framework (the Framework) and the Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) reiterates this approach. I have therefore taken Policies S53, S57 and SS55 of the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan 2023 (the Local Plan) into account insofar as it is material, but it has not, in itself, been decisive. The Council has raised no issues regarding the effect of the fascia sign on public safety or any harmful effect from the painting of the external window frames and front door sage green on the listed building. From the evidence before me and my observations on site I see no reason to disagree

The main issue for Appeal A is the effect of the fascia sign on visual amenity having regard to its location on a listed building and within the Sleaford Conservation Area.

The main issue for appeal B is the effect of the works on the special architectural and historic interest of the listed building, the setting of nearby listed buildings and the character and appearance of the Sleaford Conservation Area.

The appeal building is a mid-nineteenth century three storey structure constructed from red brick with a slate roof. It has a modern shop front at ground floor. It has been included principally as a Listed Building as part of an important visual group including Nos 21 and [address]. These buildings are also three storeys although slightly higher than No 20, with a steep slate roof. Red brick at first and second floor levels with an early twentieth century painted stone ground floor with arcaded treatment over three windows and two doors to the [address] elevation. The significance of the appeal building, together with Nos 21 and 22, for the purposes of this appeal is largely derived from their surviving architecture and historical interest as a building demonstration the evolution of the commercial heart of Sleaford.

There are a number of listed buildings in the vicinity of the appeal site, but most are a sufficient distance away to avoid harm being caused to their significance. Those closest include a drinking fountain, [address], [address] and [name].

The drinking fountain has a Gothic style canopy with a stone slate roof supported on four polished granite columns. It was erected in 1874 in memory of [name], 6th Earl and 2nd Marquis of Bristol by a few of his Lincolnshire tenantry. Its significance derives from its architectural and historic interest, including surviving fabric and inscription.

No [address] is a late seventeenth/early eighteenth century three storey building with a rendered front above a modern shop front. Its significance is derived from its architectural and historic interest forming an early building in the evolution of Sleaford’s market place.

[address] is a [name]* building opposite the appeal site, constructed in 1831 by a local architect in a Gothic style with two and three storeys. Originally constructed as a courthouse its significance is derived from its surviving architectural fabric and its importance of demonstrating judicial and civic space in the growth of Sleaford.

[name] is a [name] listed building adjacent to the appeal site. It is late Georgian and three storeys constructed of ashlar. At ground level it has two modern shop fronts either side of an arched entrance through to a shopping centre. Originally constructed as a hotel its renovation to a shopping centre has been carried out in a sympathetic manner so that its significance relates to its original architecture and fabric as well as its contribution to the history of the market place.

These listed buildings form the context for which the appeal site is appreciated in the [address], a large open space, bordered in the main by historic buildings with the prominent [address] and [name]. Its setting therefore contributes to its significance through an appreciation of the building in its historic surroundings, albeit the introduction of the motor car and proliferation of street signage has eroded this somewhat.

This area is also within the Sleaford Conservation Area (the SCA) which covers the majority of the historic core of the town. Within the Sleaford Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan (the CAAMP) the area is split into [name] and the appeal site sits in the Northgate Character Area largely defined by Georgian and Victorian two to three storey buildings, most of which are sited at the back edge of the footway and adjoined providing a sense of enclosure. The area is dominated by the Church and adjacent market place which provides an attractive area of open space in the centre. The significance of the SCA is therefore largely derived from the quality of its historic buildings and their relationship to open space and historic street patterns demonstrating the evolution of the largely commercial and civic areas of Sleaford. Although the area is mostly commercial in nature, signage is on the whole discrete and appropriate to the historic environment.

As a good example of a Victorian building on the [address], the appeal property contributes positively to the character and appearance and significance of the SCA.

The CAAMP highlights that a negative feature of the area are modern unsympathetic shop fronts at odds with the host building and a positive feature is the positive public realm works and shopfronts schemes to help restore original features. The North Kesteven Shopfront Design Guide was adopted in November 2025 (the NKSDG). While after the decision had been made on the two applications the subject of these appeals, it was nevertheless available in draft form at that time and did not change significantly on adoption.

In respect of signs, it emphasises the need to maintain or enhance the character of a historic building and shopfront as well as advice not to use aluminium/UPVC flat panel/tray signs which would not be appropriate to historic settings.

The Council has concerns over the material used for the sign which is laminate incorporating text into a pale pink background. However, the sign is integrated into the existing fascia and does not overhang, being appropriately proportioned to fit well within the existing shop front. The lettering does not overwhelm the sign using a harmonious colour scheme. Furthermore, the sign has a matt finish, making the material particularly hard to discern especially given it is not illuminated. As a consequence, in my view, the sign is not obtrusive, nor does it harm visual amenity.

In addition although the signage in the area is, on the whole, discrete, I noted that there is a variety in materials used including non-traditional materials on the adjacent property. This sign is therefore not particularly unusual .

The introduction of a timber fascia here would be preferable and have the potential to enhance the building and SCA. However, the sign as installed does not erode the significance of the listed building, which is still discernible, little altered from its form prior to installation of the sign and at least preserves the character and appearance of the SCA. In addition it does not diminish the ability to appreciate the significance of the nearby listed buildings.

For the reasons above, the sign although not in accordance with the guidance in the NKSDG is not harmful to the significance of listed buildings or visual amenity and accords with the Act. Furthermore, it preserves the character and appearance of the SCA. In so far as it is relevant, there would be no conflict with policies S53, S57 and SS55 of the LP which seek to protect, conserve and seek opportunities to enhance the historic environment of [name], promote high quality design and ensure that the design, materials, size and location of signs respect the scale and character of the building and surrounding area especially in the case of a listed building or within a conservation area.

Consequently, both appeals are allowed.