COUNCIL chiefs have offered clarity on rules around flying flags on local lampposts.
A number have gone up in recent weeks across the district, along with road markings being painted.
But while those creating a cross of St George on roundabouts have been asked not to, officials say flags are permitted – provided they meet certain conditions.
Although some put up across Lichfield are on lampposts where advertising banners previously required planning permission, a Lichfield District Council spokesperson has confirmed that no such requirement was needed for flags.
A spokesperson for Lichfield District Council said:
“Planning permission is not required to fly national flags, county, district, city, town or parish flags, flags of the armed forces, or certain recognised international or historic flags. These fall under ‘deemed consent’ within the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 2007.
“There are, however, conditions. Flags must be flown from a vertical flagpole, should not exceed 4.6 metres above a building, must not display advertising, sponsorship or company logos, and must not create a safety hazard, for example, by obstructing highways.
“Consent may be needed if a flag includes commercial advertising or logos, is oversized, flown from a non-standard structure, if multiple flags are proposed in a way that could affect the local area or if the site is a listed building, lies within a conservation area or is another protected location where stricter rules apply.”
The council also confirmed that lampposts were not classified as non-standard structures.
