Hundreds object to council's plan to hang advertisement banners across historic Whitby streets

The borough council has applied for permission to place the four banner signs across Church Street and Sandgate.

In its application, the authority states that the banner signs would be used to promote “events, culture, attractions and educational establishments” and would be made of PVC or mesh.

The plans have caused outrage in the town with more than 300 people having written to the council to object so far.

Among them was Whitby Civic Society whose chairman, Dr John Field, called the applications “bizarre” and said it goes against many of the council’s own planning policies.

In a letter to the council, Dr Field wrote: “The proposed banners would harm and detract from the historic street scene of Church Street and Sandgate, both of which are of 18th Century origin and are characterised by a large number of listed buildings.

“The visual prominence and incongruous appearance of advertising banners would be completely out of character with these streets. Consent should, therefore, be refused.

“Further, the application itself appears to contain a number of inconsistencies and errors. First, it refers to four sites, which the form identifies as in Sandgate and Church Street, but one of the two location plans shows a fifth site, in Baxtergate.”

Dr Field added that the council’s application states it owns the “land or buildings” where the adverts would be places, something the civic society disputes saying the buildings are in private ownership and the highways below are the responsibility of North Yorkshire County Council.

Scarborough Council has been approached for a comment.