Council issues multiple fines for illegal advertising

Thursday, 7 August 2025 06:05

Several businesses have been issued with £500 fixed penalty notices (FPNs) after illegally placing their advertising on the public highway in Wiltshire.

Fly-posting is defined as advertising material for events or businesses displayed on buildings or street furniture without the consent of the owner or occupier of the land or premises. It is an offence under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the Highways Act 1980.

The council does allow community advertising, provided permission is gained beforehand, to ensure this is appropriate and reasonable.

All of the businesses had been asked to remove the advertising and issued with multiple warnings by the council’s Enforcement Officers prior to being issued with an FPN. The recent fly-posting fines have included:

A furniture retailer with signage in multiple locations
A lettings agency fly-posting
An agricultural supplier with signs in various locations.

As FPNs are not a conviction in court, the businesses involved cannot be named.

Cllr Martin Smith, Cabinet Member for Highways, Street Scene and Flooding, said: “Fly-posting is unsightly and detracts from the beauty of our Wiltshire landscapes, and it can also pose safety risks where the signs are distracting or obstructing visibility at road junctions.

“Our officers always aim to take a reasonable approach when dealing with people or companies who have put up their advertising in this way. Most of the time, we simply ask for the signage to be removed. However, when businesses repeatedly ignore warnings, we are left with no choice but to take formal action and issue fixed penalty notices.”

For more information on Wiltshire Council’s fly-posting policy and how to apply for signage approval, including information on Local Highways teams, visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk/litter.