In a joint letter issued by Warwick District and Warwickshire County Councils, agents operating in the area have been warned of the possible consequences of breaching the limitations of The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007.

These include not placing ‘for sale’ or ‘to let’ signs on highways/public land, property or street furniture and ensuring that signs are only positioned directly at the property being marketed. Those contravening these rules could be issued with fines of up to £2,500 per board.

Councillor Chris King, Portfolio Holder for Place at Warwick District Council commented: “WDC is committed at all times to maintaining the highest level of trust and impartiality around all matters concerning planning and therefore act swiftly to uphold these standards on behalf of all our residents.

"I therefore applaud the action being taken by both the District and County Councils to try to curb the blight of unauthorised estate agent boards which are often eyesores and add unnecessary clutter to our streets and residential areas.

“At this stage we wish to work in partnership with local agencies, to prevent a situation where we need to prohibit signage in locations such as conservation areas and look forward to our mutual cooperation having a positive impact across the district.”