Policy information sourced from Hammersmith & Fulham Planning Guidance

SD6 Shopfront advertisements

In the interests of amenity the design of advertising should respect and enhance its locality and use materials of high quality. Particular care will be necessary within conservation areas. All signs should be designed as an integral part of the shop front and not as free-standing items.

The following should be considered for all shop front advertisements:

  • Fascia panels should be in proportion with the shop front and building and should be designed as an integral part of the shop
  • Where corbels / console brackets remain at the top of the pilasters, the fascia panel should normally be no deeper than the height of these architectural features and positioned below the cornice line, and line through with the capital mouldings on the pilasters.
  • New fascia panels should not project forward from the face of the surrounding framework, and should not extend uninterrupted across a number of distinct buildings or architectural bays.
  • The temptation to conceal a bulkhead of a suspended ceiling by increasing the depth of the fascia sign should be avoided. A visually more pleasing solution is to set the false ceiling back from the glazing line.
  • The size of the lettering should be related to the area of the fascia.

Projecting or hanging signs

The following should be considered for all projecting or hanging signs:

  • They should be at fascia level and fixed centrally on a pilaster avoiding damage to architectural detail and ornamentation.
  • The size of the sign should be no greater than 900 x 600mm
  • The leading edge of the sign should be set back from the kerb by at least 500mm, and the sign should allow for a clearance height of at least 2.6m from the underside of the sign to the pavement [similar dimensional clearances should be used for canopies and awnings].
  • No more than one sign per business per elevation will normally be acceptable
  • On multi-occupied premises, advertisements should be restricted so as to avoid the appearance of clutter and should be displayed so as to achieve harmony in the appearance of the elevation and in the context of the street scene.

For more information please see the Hammersmith & Fulham Planning Guidance