London council want to ban estate agents putting up ‘for sale’ signs ‘due to negative impact’
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The request has sparked accusations of ‘NIMBYism’. An inner-London council is seeking to ban estate agents from placing ‘for sale’ signs on properties in the local area over fears that they cause “substantial harm to local character.”. Writing in an application to housing secretary Angela Rayner, officials for Westminster local authority add that areas with many signs in place are seeing in “reduced investment.” This is having a negative impact on “employment and development opportunities,” they add.
![[The application has been made to deputy PM Angela Rayner]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/07/08/2025-01-07T083123Z_613309327_RC2W4CANXX77_RTRMADP_3_BRITAIN-POLITICS-CABINET.jpg)
The application also claims that the signs are no longer necessary due to the proliferation of online house-hunting. Climate change is also cited as a concern, as “boards need to be manufactured, transported and then installed or replaced when damaged.
“The uncontrolled installation of multiple boards can therefore result in unnecessary carbon emissions.”. Westminster council already have strict rules on estate agent signs, with permission needed to put them up in protected areas. This application would mean that permission was needed for the entire borough, ending what the authority calls an unfair “two-tier” system.
The council’s request has sparked accusations of ‘NIMBYism,’ with the National Federation of Builders (NFB) saying “it is time to call out” the council and urging Ms Rayner to reject the application. They have not sought any ‘in character’ solution,” says Rico Wojtulewicz, head of planning and market insight at the NFB. “Their whole premise will curtail local businesses by increasing all their costs, and consequently giving a leg up to big companies.
