Shop Front Design Standards. The Council requires a high standard of shop front design and advertising. Existing traditional shop fronts should be retained where possible, especially in the town centre. The Council will encourage good shop front design, either of traditional or modern design, provided that they are constructed of appropriately robust materials and are in scale and proportion to the building and neighbouring buildings. The design must be approached in an integrated way, including signage, advertising and lighting. Building and plot divisions should be retained externally, even when the internal divisions have been removed. The use of external roller shutters and the permanent removal of shop fronts leaving the shop open to the pavement, are unacceptable. Security shutters should be mounted behind the window glazing, be of the open grill type and coloured to blend with the overall shop front. Alternatives to roller shutters, such as removable timber shutters or open grilles are preferred. Externally mounted loudspeakers are unacceptable. Internally lit neon signs, flashing, reflectorised or glitter type signs located on or visible from the exterior are unacceptable. Signs and advertising of excessive size or number, or projecting above the parapet/xxxxx height or outside the bulk of the building are unacceptable. Where brand or corporate signage is permitted it will be expected to be in a form and design which is compatible with the streetscape. Compatibility with the streetscape and individual buildings will be considered more important than the uniformity between branches of a company. Projecting brand signs, of whatever type or design, are unacceptable.
