Adblock Bristol first started to input into the Bristol Local Plan back in 2018! We then responded to the Review Consultation in March 2019 and managed a petition which received 1,850 signatories supporting no new billboards. In 2022 we fed in how outdoor advertising impacts on health and wellbeing and the local economy, and in November 2023 the draft document was produced.
We were delighted to see a whole policy – AD1 – on advertising:
| Bristol Council’s Local Plan (Publication Version – November 2023), page 198, reads: Policy AD1: Advertisements 13.2.18: As set out in The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007, the LPA [Local Planning Authority] may exercise its powers in the control of advertisements in the interest of amenity and public safety only. This policy sets out criteria against which proposal’s response to amenity and public safety will be assessed. Policy text An advertisement will be considered to have an unacceptable impact on amenity where it would: – Create or reinforce an incongruous feature in, or result in a negative visual impact on, its immediate neighbourhood; – Result in harmful clutter or visual commercialisation of residential areas; – Detract from the character or setting of any feature of scenic, historic, architectural, cultural or similar interest; – Be unduly prominent in medium or long-distance views; – Cause a noise or other nuisance; or – Result in a negative impact upon residents’ living conditions by reason of its siting or illumination. Advertisement proposals of all types will be considered harmful to public and road safety where they would: – Obscure views into an area, reducing natural surveillance; – Create an unwelcoming sense of enclosure; – Obscure safety cameras; – Unsafely reduce natural or street lighting; or – Create visual distraction which would be harmful to the attention of road users or the ready interpretation of road signs, traffic signals and visibility of junctions. Explanation 13.2.19 The policy aims to guard against proposals which would be harmful to local character and amenity. Perception of low visual amenity in any area will not serve as a benchmark for harmful proposals including increased clutter of advertisements. 13.2.20 The use of digital advertisements has increased in urban settings including within Bristol. The illumination and movement associated with such advertisements can considerably extend their capacity to harmfully impact the amenities of an area or to affect public safety. Digital and illuminated advertisements should have regard to the Institute of Lighting Professionals (ILP) Professional Lighting Guide 05 ‘The Brightness of Illuminated Advertisements’. Such advertisement may be able to ensure they will not have harmful impacts associated with their luminance through: – Restricted operation hours. – Maximum luminance levels. – Provision of ambient lighting sensors. – Provision of a default black screen. 13.2.21 In conservation areas, proposals will also be expected to demonstrate how they would conserve or enhance the character and appearance of the area, as required under Section 72 of the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. |
Since then the Local Plan has been with the national Planning Inspectorate who have been making recommendations for changes. These have now come back to Bristol City Council who are consulting on these proposed modifications, after which the Local Plan will finally be adopted!
Policy AD1 has been updated, nothing too significant has changed but the Planning Inspectorate were not too keen on the term ‘visual commercialisation’ which is a shame as this speaks to our whole concern about the corporate take over of public space.
The proposed revised text is:
It would be great to show support for this policy as it acknowledges the detrimental impact that outdoor advertising has on communities and neighbourhoods and that it should be restricted rather than allowed to proliferate.
What can you do?
If you want to support Adblock Bristol and respond to the consultation about policy AD1: Advertisements you can use the following public link: https://www.bristol.gov.uk/ask/find-consultation-engagement/consultation-engagement?id=280
You can also respond by email at BLP@bristol.gov.uk or by post to Planning Policy, City Hall, College Green, Bristol, BS1 5TR.
The deadline for representations is Friday 12th June 2026.
Your name and response will be made publicly available and remember to include the modification reference number MM13.17 in your response.
Here are some ideas for what you could say:
- Express full support for Policy AD1 on Advertisements which reflects the position of local residents on the impact of outdoor advertising on our neighbourhoods and communities.
- Support modification MM13.17 as a way to clarify the term ‘harmful clutter’ and to acknowledge that outdoor advertising can have an impact on visual as well as aural amenity e.g. the cooling functions of digital screens can cause noise pollution.
- Support the modification identifying that advertising can cause a range of nuisances in a local area e.g. advertising units on pavements can increase loitering, crime and anti-social behaviour, and be a magnet for fly-tipping.
- Pleased to see the Bristol Local Plan responding to the clear benefits of reducing the impact of outdoor advertising in our city and placing residents’ health and wellbeing, and the local environment, at the heart of local policies, and above corporate interests.
Lets support progressive councils who are trying to protect residents from the impact of outdoor advertising and hopefully this will lead to more councils following suit and ultimately fewer digital screens on our streets.
Published by