Advertising Consent for the NHS

Patient information screens providing health advice are becoming increasingly common in GP’s and hospitals and demand planning considerations if they are to be placed on a building. The NHS Foundation Trust wanted two illuminated LED advertising screens mounted to the exterior of Basildon Hospital in Essex, in order to display health messages to visitors, such as anti-smoking campaigns and help lines. Although hospitals are afforded many permitted development rights, after our communication with the authority, we confirmed that the NHS would have to make an application because of the illumination and movement of these signs. The key to this advertisement consent was to secure maximum impact by placing the signs in prominent locations, whilst ensuring that they would not have any adverse impact upon visual amenity or public safety, the two elements that advertisement consents are decided upon. Because these signs were not proposed on, or visible from, a highway, nor would either signs overlook or be visible from any residential or public land, they would have had no negative impact. The signs were subsequently granted advertisement consent and we continue to work with the NHS on similar LED screen applications for their hospitals. If you wish to discuss your advertisement consent with one of our planning consultants please contact us on 0808 164 1288 for a no obligation conversation.