Housebuilding Giants Barratt Homes Fined for Fly-posting

2.45.47pm GMT Tue 28th Nov 2006

Illegal fly-posting has left housebuilding giants Barratt Homes thousands of pounds out of pocket.

The company appeared in court on 10 November to admit six counts of illegally fly-posting on city roads, under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. The company - appearing as Barratt Homes Limited - also asked for six other offences to be taken into consideration. City magistrates fined the company £4,200 in total, as well as ordering them to pay £1,304 to the Council for costs, within 28 days.

The court heard the offences related to signs publicising a Barratt Homes event at a city hotel in October 2005, which were placed on city 'street furniture' without the consent of the Council.

Officers from the Safer Communities Unit undertook an operation to remove illegal signs in May 2006. Over 200 signs and posters were removed and disposed of during the operation, including those put up by Barratt Homes.

Magistrates said that in setting the level of the fine they had taken account of Barratt's early guilty plea. But the magistrates added: "It was hoped that Barratts, as a large company, would put in place a policy relating to their use of advertisements" and commented that it seemed that the fines were almost viewed as an acceptable business expense.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Douglas McCall, cabinet member for the environment, said: "This is a good result, and shows that no-one, no matter how big, is above the law. Fly-posting and other illegal advertising is a blight on our environment and costs the council tax-payer thousands of pounds each year to deal with. We have several other large prosecutions lined up, with several other household names, and we will continue to crack down on anyone who flouts the law."