Public Health Acts Amendment Act, 1907

Part IX.

Sky Signs.

Sky signs.

10 & 11 Vict. c. 34.

91.(1) (a) It shall not be lawful to erect or fix to, upon, or in connection with any building or erection any sky sign, and it shall not be lawful to retain any existing sky sign so erected or fixed for a longer period than three years after the commencement of this section, nor during that period except with the licence of the local authority, and in the event of such licence being granted then only for such period not exceeding three years from the commencement of this section and under and subject to such terms and conditions as shall be therein prescribed.

(b) Provided that in any of the following cases a licence of the local authority under this subsection shall become void (namely):—

(i) If any addition to any sky sign be made except for the purpose of making it secure under the direction of the surveyor;

(ii) If any change be made in the sky sign or any part thereof;

(iii) If the sky sign or any part thereof fall either through accident, decay, or any other cause;

(iv) If any addition or alteration be made to or in the house, building, or structure on, over, or to which any sky sign is placed or attached if such addition or alteration involves the disturbance of the sky sign or any part thereof; or

(v) If the house, building, or structure over, on, or to which the sky sign is placed or attached become unoccupied or be demolished or destroyed.

(c) Provided also that if any sky sign be erected or retained contrary to the provisions of this Act, or after the licence for the erection, maintenance, or retention thereof for any period shall have expired or become void, it shall be lawful for the local authority to take proceedings for the taking down and removal of the sky sign in the same manner and with the same consequence as to recovery of expenses and otherwise in all respects as if it were an obstruction within the meaning of section sixty-nine (Future projections of houses, &c., to be removed on notice) of the Towns Improvement Clauses Act, 1847.

(2) Any person acting in contravention of any of the provisions of this section, or of the terms and conditions (if any) of any approval, licence, or consent under this section, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding five pounds and to a daily penalty not exceeding twenty shillings.

(3) For the purposes of this section—

Sky sign” means—

Any word, letter, model, sign, device, or representation in the nature of an advertisement, announcement, or direction supported on or attached to any post, pole, standard, frame-work, or other support wholly or in part upon, over, or above any house, building or structure which, or any part of which, sky sign shall be visible against the sky from some point in any street or public way, and includes all and every part of any such post, pole, standard, frame-work, or other support.

The expression “sky sign” shall also include—

Any balloon, parachute, or other similar device employed wholly or in part for the purposes of any advertisement or announcement on, over, or above any house, building, structure, or erection of any kind, or on or over any street or public way;

But shall not include—

(a) Any flagstaff, pole, vane, or weathercock unless adapted or used wholly or in part for the purpose of any advertisement or announcement;

(b) Any sign or any board, frame, or other contrivance securely fixed to or on the top of the wall or parapet of any building, or on the cornice or blocking course of any wall, or to the ridge of a roof: Provided that such board, frame, or other contrivance be of one continuous face and not open work, and do not extend in height more than three feet above any part of the wall or parapet or ridge to, against, or on which it is fixed or supported;

(c) Any word, letter, model, sign, device, or representation as aforesaid relating exclusively to the business of a railway or canal company, and placed wholly upon or over any railway, canal, railway station, wharf, quay, yard, platform, or station or wharf or quay approach belonging to a railway or canal company, and so placed that it cannot fall into any street or public place.