A LANDLORD locked in a battle with a council over the display of an advertisement sign has reached an agreement with the authority – after shelling out £5,000 on fighting his case.
In November last year, David Rayner was told by Colchester Council bosses to remove a sign highlighting the services on offer at Wilco Motor Spares, in Butt Road.
The large yellow plaque had been fixed to the side wall of a neighbouring house.
Signs advertising businesses in operation next door have adorned the semi-detached property since at least 1959, when Mr Rayner’s father purchased the site.
The council served him with a discontinuance notice threatening prosecution and financial penalties if he did not remove it.
READ MORE: Colchester landlord calls council 'arrogant' over sign row
The authority believes the advertising board is visually “detrimental” to what has been a designated area of conservation since 2020.
Mr Rayner had said he would consider installing a sign the council considered in keeping with the conservation area.
He raised the issue at a meeting of Colchester Council’s local plan committee on Monday, while councillors debated plans to expand a conservation area covering North Station Road.
He said an agreement had been reached over the issue, but he hit out at the council over an alleged lack of communication.
“Give serious consideration as to how you inform both residents and businesses of any new conservation area,” he said.
“[Give] a much clearer idea of restrictions and expectations raised by the amendments, hopefully avoiding unnecessary trauma and cost.
“Working with no constructive input from the council, putting forward suggestions completely blind, we have by some sort of modern-day miracle reached what seems to be an acceptable resolution.
“Trying to protect one’s history in these circumstances comes with a price tag, £5,000 so far.”
Karen Syrett, the council's lead planning officer, said there had never been a dispute over the history of signs at Mr Rayner’s site.
“It’s about an appropriate sign,” she said.
“I’m glad an agreement has been reached on something that will go there.
“I know personally I spoke to at least one councillor about that, so both on the officer side and councillor side, people have been interested in dealing with that.
“I will look into means of communication and ensuring you and others are kept better informed when this sort of thing arises again.”
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