Display of flags at Three Rivers House Northway, Rickmansworth

What was proposed

The application sought consent to fly various flags from two existing flagpoles, including Pride, NHS, Ukraine, Union and White Ribbon flags.

“Description of proposed development 3.1 This application seeks advertisement consent to allow for the flying of various flags at Three Rivers House which do not benefit from deemed consent under The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007 (as amended) and therefore require advertisement consent.”

“It is understood that the dimensions of the flags are 1.52m x 0.91m with the exception of the Union/Union Jack flag which has a maximum size 1.6m x 1m. The height from the ground to the base of the advertisement is 6m and the maximum projection of the advertisement from the face of the building is 1m. The flags are not illuminated and are a knitted or woven polyester.”

Officer report

The site and its history

Three Rivers House is a council office and police station in a conservation area, with earlier permissions for offices, police use, parking, solar panels and heat pumps.

“Relevant planning history 1.1 8/120/88: Erection of office building and ancillary car park. Permitted and implemented. 1.2 10/2174/FUL: Change of use of part of the ground floor of Three Rivers House to a police station with associated parking, including the erection of a small storage shed. Permitted and implemented.”

“25/1595/PDNE - Permitted Development Notice: Installation of solar panels – Permitted. Not Implemented. Site description 2.1 Three Rivers House is the principal office of Three Rivers District Council, additionally, following the grant of planning permission 10/2174/FUL a large section of the East Wing of the building has been occupied by the Police since February 2011 following the closure of Rickmansworth Police Station.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval because the flags were modest, non-illuminated and would not harm the streetscene, conservation area, residential amenity, heritage assets or public safety.

“The flags themselves would project minimally from the face of the host building and are non- illuminated. The flags are a standard size with the exception of the Union/Union Jack flag which is slightly larger. As such, they are not considered to be visually prominent or a contrived feature within the streetscene or wider area.”

“The Conservation Officer was consulted on the application and advised that the proposed flagpole and flags are appropriate for this location; owing to the separation of the flag poles / flags from the above designated heritage assets it is not considered that they would have any impact on their setting .”

Officer report

Consultation responses

The community council requested inclusion of the Union Flag, while the Conservation Officer raised no objection and considered the heritage assets unaffected.

“This response has been made with regard to Sections 72 (1) and 66 (1) of the Planning Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 and the National Planning Policy Framework Chapter 16 ‘Conserving and Enhancing the Historic Environment’. Officer Comment: Comments from the parish are noted. The list of flags has been updated to include the Union Flag.”

Officer report

Objections received

An objector supported official civic flags but opposed wider displays because of visual clutter, political associations, community division, safety risks and ongoing costs.

“Support display of official, unifying civic flags only: The Union Flag, the St George’s Cross, and appropriate County/Town or civic ceremonial flags. • Broad consent would allow non-official, campaign, pressure-group or politically associated flags/ When a flag is flown it will be widely interpreted as an official Council endorsement, undermining confidence in the Councils neutrality and risking division in the community. • Approval would set an unhelpful precedent.”

“A wider flag programme brings ongoing cost for purchase, replacement, storage and maintenance, plus staff time to manage requests and complaints, and the costs of the consent process itself. • Application should be refused. Or approved only with strict conditions limiting flags to official national and local civic/ceremonial flags, with clear limits on number, size, siting and duration, backed by a published policy protecting political neutrality and community cohesion.”

Officer report

Who spoke

A member of the public spoke against the application, and Councillor Andrea Fraser spoke on the application.

What members debated

Members debated visual amenity, existing deemed-consent flags, the effect on the conservation area, public benefit and whether non-deemed flags should be treated as advertisements.

“Another Committee Member commented that there had been longstanding issues in the Rickmansworth Conservation Area with regard to visual clutter and appearance. If the application had related to shop front advertising rather than flags, then the colour schemes would likely have been deemed to be harmful to the Conservation Area.”

“A Committee Member commented that many of the flags which were already flown under deemed consent were multi-coloured. Refusal on the grounds of harm to visual amenity would appear inconsistent with the existing situation.”

Minutes

The vote

Councillors voted six in favour, two against and two abstentions on a motion to approve with conditions and amend condition 2.

“Councillor Smith moved, and Councillor King seconded, that the application be approved subject to conditions and amendment to condition 2 to refer to signs granted deemed consent by Advertisement Regulations.”

“On being out to the vote this was carried, the voting being 6 in favour, 2 against and 2 abstentions.”

Minutes

The final decision

The application was approved subject to conditions, with condition 2 amended to refer to signs granted deemed consent under the Advertisement Regulations.

“RESOLVED: that the application be approved subject to conditions and amendment to condition 2 to refer to signs granted deemed consent by Advertisement Regulations.”

Minutes