Introduction

This booklet describes the policies and guidelines of the Council for new shop fronts and alterations to existing shop fronts.  Applications for planning permission or other consents will be assessed against the policies and guidelines in the booklet.

The policies aim to raise the quality of shop fronts in the Borough.  The success and competitiveness of the Borough's town centres depends, in part, on improving the image and attractiveness of shopping streets for residents and visitors alike.

The booklet is aimed primarily at Listed Buildings and buildings in Conservation Areas.  The policies will apply to these buildings, but the basic design principles are relevant to all shop fronts in the Borough.

The booklet is intended to give a practical outline of the principles of good shop font and advertisement design.  It does not seek to impose wholly traditional shop fronts or a standard solution on every retail unit, or to remove flexibility for innovation and flair, but does aim to reinstate the traditional character of most shopping streets which has been diluted over the years.

Retaining Existing Shop Fronts

Where the existing or 'original' shop front contributes to the character of the building or the area, it should normally be kept rather than replaced.  Often the cheapest solution is to refurbish what is there already.  It is usually possible to modify corporate images to fit in with original shop fronts.  Repairs should be carried out using replica materials and designs. Alterations such as lighting, adverts, security devices or adaptations for disabled access should follow the guidelines throughout this booklet. The removal or unsympathetic alteration of historic shop fronts on Listed Buildings or buildings which make a contribution to the character of the Conservation Areas will not be permitted.

Restoration Not Alteration

Evidence of original features such as pilasters or fascias sometimes survive under later alterations and can be revealed and repaired to create an attractive shop front at reasonable cost.  Evidence of the original appearance may also be available from old photographs and drawings.  The Council will encourage the removal of fascias, adverts, tiles or cladding, etc which detract from the character of attractive historic shop fronts.  In some circumstances grant aid may be available to assist with this.

In considering proposals affecting historic or good quality shop fronts, the Council may require the removal of existing inappropriate features and the restoration and/or re-introduction of the original shop front.  In certain cases conditions may be attached to permission requiring the opening up or investigation of the shop front to establish whether traditional features exist and can be re-used.

Replacement Shop Fronts

The general aim of the Council's policy is to ensure that any investment made in shops reinforces the traditional quality and image of the Conservation Areas.

When applications for planning permission are made to replace or alter a shop front, the Council will require the replacement of poor quality shop fronts by more appropriate designs.  New shop fronts should be of a high standard of design.  Permission will not be granted for any alteration to a shop front which prevents the future reinstatement of a traditional shop front.  Proposals for new shop fronts will be assessed against the policies and guidelines in this booklet.

The Character Of The Street

The design of a shop front should take into account the rhythm and characteristics of the street, eg the width of the building and the vertical and horizontal elements.  Most traditional shopping streets contain a great deal of variety.  Sameness of design is, therefore, generally not appropriate.

An exception to this policy might be a terrace of shops, which has been designed as a single composition.  Even in these cases there should be vertical divisions to respect the rhythm of the building above.

Shop fronts which extend over two or more buildings and ignore the division of units into plot sizes generally will not be acceptable.  Fascias which extend across more than one building facade should be sub-divided.

The Building

A good shop front design and the materials used should respect the scale and character of the building above.  For example, the impression of a heavy upper structure poised on a flimsy sheet of glass below is invariably not successful.  A shop window should be framed by a visually robust surround to give the impression of support to the upper part of the building.

The design of a shop front should take into account the age and architecture of the building in which it is situated.  Architectural elements and the scale and proportions of the building above should be reflected in the proposed shop front.

Design Principles

Eighteenth and nineteenth century shop front designs were based on principles which were successful in achieving satisfactory relationships between the shop fronts and the buildings. These principles still hold good today.

Pilasters, a fascia, cornice and stallriser should be used to enclose the shop window and entrance - rather like a picture frame which sets off a painting.

Pilasters identify the vertical division between the shop fronts; the fascia provides the space for advertising; the cornice gives a strong line at the top of the shop front and protection from the weather; the stallriser gives protection at ground level and provides a solid base; and all of these elements form a frame which suggests, visually, a method of support for the building facade above.

These principles are as valid for new shops as for traditional ones.  Proposals for 'modern' shop front designs which do not involve loss of existing traditional features may be acceptable if the traditional frame or fascia, corbel and pilaster are retained or re-introduced.

Fascias and Cornices

Traditional fascias are not more than 450mm high.  Fascias should be kept below first floor window sills and topped by a cornice projecting out from the face of the building to provide a clear visual break between the shop and the upper floors.  The trend towards bigger and brighter fascias has a harmful effect on the historic character of shopping streets in Conservation Areas.

Traditional fascias and cornices must be retained and refurbished where they exist and introduced where they are absent.  The removal of these features from Listed Buildings and in most buildings in the Conservation Areas will not be permitted.  Fascia boards should be in proportion to the shop front and height of the building.  The Council will require fascias and corbels in the new shop fronts to be of scale and design which is traditional in the area.

Bulky, internally illuminated fascia boxes or glossy acrylic and plastic fascia boards are not acceptable.  Matt finish fascia boards, particularly in wood, are preferred.

Standardised or 'corporate' fascias or logos may not be acceptable unless they are modified to fit within or compliment the traditional scale and design of the shop front.

Consent will not be granted for the replacement of unacceptably deep fascias by new ones of similar size.  The opportunity must be taken to remove the existing and reinstate the original or more appropriate (usually smaller) size.  Fascia boards which project forward of, or are fixed to the face of the original, will not be permitted.  Fascias and cornices should be well detailed and include a top cornice/string or dentil course with lead flashing and moulding below.

It is not acceptable to increase the depth of a fascia to conceal a suspended ceiling or structural beam.  Other methods, such as setting back the ceiling or the use of an obscured, glazed transom light or sub-fascia are preferable.

Pilasters and Corbels

Pilasters usually have a wider base or plinth at the bottom and a decorative capital or corbel/ console at the top.

Applications for new or restored shop fronts should contain pilasters and corbels appropriate to the building.  Where they exist, in whole or part, original traditional pilasters and corbels must be uncovered or restored and should not be removed.

New pilasters should be visually strong and treated in the prevailing material, usually painted timber or a material which complements the parent building, eg painted stucco.  Ceramic tiles and textured coatings are unacceptable.

Stallrisers

Stallrisers improve the proportions of a shop front by providing a solid visual base.  They also serve a practical purpose by providing protection from kicks and knocks, and also by allowing the floor inside the shop window to be raised and any window display made more visible.

Permission will not be granted for shop front schemes on Listed Buildings or in Conservation Areas which do not contain an appropriate stallriser.

Stallrisers faced with timber, stone, brickwork or painted cement render and of a height between 450mm and 700mm should be incorporated in new shop fronts.  Plastic panelling and textured paints are not appropriate while brick, if used, must match existing brickwork.  Timber stallrisers should be recessed panelled, with bolection mouldings or raised and field panels.  Skimpy planted or nailed-on mouldings are not acceptable.  Stallrisers should have a strong moulded projecting cill.

Windows and Doors

Shopfront window and door patterns should reflect the traditional design of the area.  The method of window sub-division should suit the character of the shop front and building.  Smaller-paned designs are appropriate to 18th and early 19th Century buildings, and larger plate glass areas are more appropriate to late Victorian and Edwardian styles.

Large undivided areas of glass should be avoided and windows should be framed and sub-divided vertically.  The main upright posts (mullions) which sub-divide the glass can be supplemented by horizontal members (transoms) or other slim glazing bars.  Windows should normally be set in the same plane as the front of the building.  Recesses should be limited to the shop entrance which should usually be centrally positioned.

Where the door is recessed it provides depth and relief to the shop front and invites the customers into the premises.

Cash dispensers should be treated as an integral part of the window design and are best placed within a recessed doorway.  They should not be used as a means of increasing advertising space.

Window and door frames, mullions and transoms should be painted wood.  Gold and silver aluminium frames are not acceptable.  Shop fronts which include windows which are too large in relation to the frontage of the building will not normally be permitted.  The enlargement of existing windows above ground floor level for display purposes will not normally be permitted.

Doors should open inwards and not open outwards on to the highway/footway.  Doors should have a solid lower panel detailed to match the stallriser and a 'kick plate' no less than 300mm in depth fixed to this panel.  Door furniture should normally be brass.  A 'swing' door, or push-pull door is often suitable.  Door furniture should be easy to manipulate by people with poor manual dexterity and located no higher than 950mm above floor level.

Door recesses should be at least 800mm deep and any window ventilation or extraction taken through this recess.

Entrance doors should have a door opening width of not less than 800mm.  Door closers which do not require excessive pressure should be used wherever possible.  Automatic doors generally offer good access, however those that swing towards the user can be dangerous and should be avoided.  Automatic doors will not normally be appropriate in historic or Listed Buildings.

Existing original doors or traditional panelled doors should not be removed or replaced, except with an exact replica.  Existing entrance doors to the upper floors of premises should be retained wherever possible.  The creation of a separate entrance to upper floors will be encouraged where appropriate to facilitate the re-use of upper floors.  It may be necessary to create an alternative entrance in a less prominent facade.

Advertisements and Signs

Signs and lettering should be considered as an integral part of the building and the shop front.  The content of signs should be limited to the name of the business and, if necessary, the nature of the trade.  Sponsored signs incorporating the name of a product sold should be avoided as they detract from the individual identity of the shop front.  For the same reason standard 'corporate image' signs and logos will have to be adopted so that they are in keeping with the premises on which they are displayed.

  Fascia Lettering
Letters should be neither too widely spaced nor cramped together.  Serif letters are to be preferred.

Hand painted lettering on timber fascias is the preferred form.  As an alternative vinyl lettering stuck on to a fascia may be acceptable.  Bulky individual plastic letter or logos are not acceptable.  In some cases individual cast metal lettering may be fixed direct onto the facade of the building, but care is necessary to ensure that the scale and type face of such lettering is appropriate for the building and street scene.

Glass painted fascias are quite common, particularly in Whitby, and are generally acceptable providing that they are in the traditional position and not in the form of a projecting 'add-on' box.  The street number of the shop must be displayed, by law.

  Illumination
Illumination of signs or fascias is only permissible where it is shown to be absolutely necessary.  The use of large floodlights, spotlamps and brass 'swan neck' lamps are not acceptable.  On modern shop fronts internal illumination of signs where only the lettering is back lit, or where lighting is concealed within each letter to give a 'halo' effect, may be acceptable.  The use of internally illuminated box signs where the background of the whole fascia is illuminated will not be granted permission.  There is usually space behind a traditional wooden fascia for electrical gear to provide back lighting for halo or individual letters without the need for projecting fascias.  The most appropriate means of external illumination is by a narrow section of strip light discreetly sited under the cornice.

  Adverts on Shop Windows
Where retail premises have no fascia or where there is no conventional window displays of goods for sale, the best solution is usually to sign write on the display windows, eg "gold leaf".

The use of windows for the display of paper stickers is counter-productive as it degrades the quality of the street scene.
Where there is a wish to display information relating to special offers etc this is best done by mounting posters on boards set back from the windows.

  Projecting and Hanging Signs
Well designed hanging signs can add to the visual interest of a street, although too many can amount to visual clutter.  Shops should be limited to one hanging/ projecting sign and should be suspended from plain or decorative metal brackets.

Projecting signs at fascia level should be a maximum of 0.2 sq. metres, eg 500mm by 400mm.  As a general rule hanging signs should not exceed 600mm wide by 800mm high and should be positioned no lower than 2.4 metres above pavement level and no higher than the mid point of the first floor of the building.  As an alternative to a sign written sign a pictorial sign or symbol offers opportunities  for making a positive contribution to the character and identity of a street.  Internally illuminated projecting box signs are unacceptable.  Projecting signs with spot-lights are not acceptable.  If lit, projecting signs should have purpose built neat cowl lights on top.

Materials

Painted timber is the dominant material for shop fronts and should form the basis for new shop fronts.  Occasionally, polished timber from a sustainable source, or bronze marble, may be acceptable.  Plastic laminates, anodised or coloured aluminium or steel window frames are not acceptable.  The use of non-traditional materials will not be acceptable on Listed Buildings.  In other non-Listed Buildings outside Conservation Areas traditional shop front design in moulded plastic or aluminium, may be acceptable if carefully detailed.

Colour

Brown, grey, cream, dark green and dark red paint will be suitable in most situations, while colours such as white, orange, yellow, pink, purple, and pale blue should be avoided.  A single colour is usually most appropriate colour scheme, but a two-colour approach can be successful if the pilasters, corbels and cornice are painted in the same colour.

A shop front colour scheme should always be selected to harmonise with the upper floors of the building and the general street scene.  Permission for new or altered shop fronts will be subject to conditions requiring approval of the colour.  A change of colour on listed shop fronts may need consent.

Access For The Disabled

New shop fronts should accommodate the needs of disabled people and the elderly, partially sighted and/or pushchairs/ buggies.  Dimensions should comply with the Disabled Persons Act 1991 and the British Standards Institution Code of Practice for Access to Buildings for the Disabled.

As a general principle, steps should be avoided and doors should be capable of being opened by people in wheelchairs.  Doors should be recessed and the entrance ramp should be surface in a non-slip material and should be a maximum of 1:12.

Where substantial alterations to a shop front or a replacement shop front is proposed the Local Planning Authority will require door location and design to be such as to permit disabled access and the Local Planning Authority may refuse permission where access requests are not incorporated in the submitted plans.  On Listed Buildings the needs of disabled people should be taken into account as far as possible, commensurate with the need to preserve the special character of the buildings or areas.  On sloping sites the door should be located to provide a flat entrance.

Further information on disabled access is contained in Appendix 1 .

Paint and Wood Specifications

The majority of traditional shop fronts were constructed in painted softwood.  Hardwoods, eg Brazilian Mahogany, were only used occasionally on prestigious shop fronts to display high value goods.  However, concern over the sustainability of this source of material has led to other species of hardwood being utilised from environmentally acceptable sources.  The use of hardwood will only be permitted where it is from a proven sustainable resource.  The Borough Council may ask for certification to be provided in this respect.

Plywood has been commonly used on modern shop fronts for both fascias and stallrisers.  It is extremely unlikely that this material will be acceptable on a Listed Building, or for general use in a Conservation Area, but where it is used, it must be suitable for external use, eg marine quality ply.  Marine ply is a durable and tough material, but would only form a part of a complete design structure.  Good quality detailing from an experience joiner is still just as important for reliable results, however good the material being used.  A plywood, except marine grade or veneered, can be prone to surface cracking with birch or fir ply being particularly susceptible.

Medium density fibre board (MDF) is currently being developed for external use in addition the more familiar interior applications, and it can readily be worked for details such as scroll edges, mouldings, etc.  It is intended for painting or as a veneer substrate.  However, use on a traditional shop front is likely to be limited.

The timber used on shop fronts should be a suitably durable softwood, from a sustainable source.  The timber should be painted, not stained, with a suitable exterior micro porous paint.  Aluminium primers and two undercoats are recommended.

Timber selection should be made on the basis of :

  Its suitability and durability for outside use
  Its moisture content
  Its workability, ability to take fine detailing
  Its ability to take a good finish
  Correct drying and storage prior to delivery and use.

Advice on the properties, uses, availability and qualities of various timbers is published by the Timber Research and Development Association (TRADA).

Canopies and Blinds

Canopies and blinds can be an effective advertising feature for a shop or business premises and an attractive element in the street scene.  However, too many of the wrong type of blind can spoil the appearance of a Conservation Area/ Listed Building.

Most blinds in Conservation Areas will need permission, although some retractable blinds may not.  Any blind on a Listed Building will need consent.

Retractable roller blinds are acceptable as long as they can be retracted easily into a recessed blind box.  A folding fan/ canopy is acceptable, but only if the canopy hood or box is recessed, does not project forward of the fascia or obscure pilasters or other features.  The height or depth of fan blinds should not exceed 610mm (2ft.).

Fixed fan blinds are not acceptable, particularly where they disrupt unified street facades or obscure important architectural details.  In certain cases, eg where they are fixed within window reveals, and are located on buildings which do not have traditional architectural features or are not part of a group of traditional group of buildings, they may be acceptable.

Glossy or wet-look blinds are not acceptable.  'Dutch' blinds with rounded edges are not acceptable.  On Listed Buildings, blinds are unlikely to be acceptable unless they are a traditional and integral part of the building.

Advertisements on blinds will be resisted unless the shop fascia is obscured by the blind.  Where used, lettering or logos should be kept to a minimum.

The bottom edge or any blind should be at least 2.4 metres above ground level.

There is a general presumption against blinds on Listed Buildings and in Conservation Areas, but exceptions may be made to allow shade to south-facing shop fronts where the protection of goods is essential.

Shop Front Security

The Borough Council has adopted detailed policies on shop front security which should be taken into account.  The details are contained in " Shop Front Security - Policy and Design Guidance ".  The Council require the applicant to consider shop front security when designing a new shop front or altering an existing one, eg all new shop front or applications for major alterations should allow for internal grilles to be installed, or fitted at a later date.

The Need For Permission

Alterations to shop fronts will normally require consent under the Planning Acts or Advertisement Regulations (or both).

  Planning Permission
Planning permission is needed for any material change in the external appearance of a shop.  This could include altering the pattern of the glazing, changing facing materials, installing blinds or shutters or grilles or enlarging the size of a fascia or replacing the door.
In Conservation Areas the demolition/ removal of a shop front or part of a shop front, eg the removal of corbel brackets, requires Conservation Area consent and unauthorised works, ie starting work before permission is granted, may lead to prosecution.

  Advertisement Consent
Advertisement consent is required for the display of many signs, although there are some exceptions.  The Advertisement Regulations are complex, and advice should always be sought from the Planning Section of the Technical Services Department of the Borough Council before any works are undertaken.  The installation of a sign without the required consent can lead to prosecution.  A summary of the Regulations in Conservation Areas is set out in Appendix 2 .

When planning permission is granted for a change of use from one trade to another, eg butcher to restaurant or toy shop to betting shop, the permission does NOT permit alterations to the shop or the installation of advertisements.  These must obtain separate consent.

  Listed Building Consent
Any alteration affecting the character of a Listed Building requires consent.  This can include such details as re-painting a shop front in a different colour, installing a security alarm or extractor fan, altering the shop interior, or installing shutters, blinds and advertisements.

Works carried out without consent may result in enforcement action.  Advertisements installed without consent can lead to prosecution in the Magistrate's Court.  Work to Listed Buildings carried out without consent or unauthorised demolition (eg removal of a shop front) of unlisted buildings is a criminal offence.  This will cause unnecessary disruption and can lead to considerable expense.

Application Plans

Applications for new or altered shop fronts should be accompanied by the following drawings: Elevational drawing at 1:50; Vertical and horizontal sections at 1:20 including joinery details at 1:5; Must be comprehensive, ie include security devices, paint and wood specifications, colour and lighting. 

Advice

In all cases of conservation and design it is worth seeking the advice of the Planning Officers in the Technical Services Department of the Borough Council.  Officers will be pleased to discuss design matters with applicants or their agents at an early stage.

Contact details are available here .

Further Information

Design in the High Street - G. Mitchell ( 1986)
Book of Details and Good Practice in Shop Front Design - English Historic Towns Forum (1993)
Shop Front and Advertisements in Historic Towns - English Historic Towns Forum ( 1991)
Shopfront - Neville Whittaker - Civic Trust for the North East
M odern Practical Joinery - G. Ellis - (1987 reprint of 1908 edition)
Shopfronts - Alan Powers - Chatto Curiosities of the British Street
So You Want to Alter Your Shop - The Royal Town Planning Institute (October 1987)
The Town & Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations, 1992 - HMSO
DOE Booklet, Outdoor Advertisements & Signs, 1989 - HMSO
Outdoor Advertisement Control - Planning Policy Guidance 19, 1992 - HMSO
Shop Fronts - English Heritage (1990)
Planning out Crime - (D.O.E. 5/94)

Appendix 1 - Access for the Disabled

Apart from being of an adequate width for wheelchairs, access doors should be easy to open by people with limited strength, or who are unsteady on their feet.  Where doors have two leaves, it should be possible for a wheelchair to obtain access without having to open both doors.  Two-way swing doors are useful as some people find it easier to push a door than to pull it towards them.  Under no circumstances should revolving doors be the only means of access.  In shops where people carry heavy loads, the ideal is self-opening doors controlled by a pressure mat.

Frameless glass doors are dangerous, as the partially-sighted and children may not see them, while wheelchairs may damage the glass or even break it.  Where large areas of glass are used, this should be clearly indicated by the use of coloured panels or signs on the door, and kicking plates should be provided.  Conversely, a glass visibility panel should be included in doors that are not of glass, and this should be positioned so that children and people in wheelchairs, as well as adults can see and be seen.

Features such as bells and doors handles should be set about one metre above the ground, and for ease of use, lever handles are preferred to knob handles.  Self-closers, if fitted, should not be so strong that access by the elderly or handicapped is hindered.

Some shops have double doors at the entrance with a lobby between them to minimise heat loss.  If this space is too small, wheelchair users can become trapped.  where right angled turns are involved, additional space is needed.

A minimum clear opening width of door of 950mm is required.  Clear wall space on leading face of door is 300mm.  Maximum height of raised threshold if necessary is 20mm.  Maximum recommended resistance for external doors is 12N metres.  Maximum recommended resistance for internal doors is 8N metres.

Appendix 2 - Advertisements in Conservation Areas

'Advertisement Consent' is required for the display of most signs in a Conservation Area.

The following advertisements need Advertisement Consent :

  An illuminated exterior by projecting or fascia sign
  The illumination (eg spot or flood lighting) of an existing non-illuminated sign or shop front or part of the shop front
  Any other alteration of an existing illuminated sign such as changing the material used or fixing a new sign on top

The following advertisements do not normally need Advertisement Consent :

  The installation of a non-illuminated sign (which includes fascia, window, projecting or hanging signs) on a wall containing a shop window as long as it is positioned lower than the bottom of first floor windows
  An identification, direction or warning sign (such as entrance or exit signs) not larger than 0.3 square metres in area
  An advertisement relating to a person, partnership or company such as a wall plaque commonly used by solicitors and dentists, etc, no larger than 0.3 square metres in area, ie 60cm x 50cm (one only per premises)
  An advertisement relating to an institution, hotel, inn or public house no larger than 1.2 square metres in area (one only per premises)
  In all the above cases, no part of the sign must be more than 4.6 metres (15ft. 2ins.) above ground level and lettering or symbols used must be no larger than 0.75 metres (2ft. 6ins.) high
  The alteration of an existing non-illuminated sign (within the limits specified above)
  Some minor alterations (such as possibly a change of name only) or a non-illuminated advert or of an illuminated advert which previously had consent
  The display of advertisements inside a building more than one metre back from the frontage

Different rules apply in areas of 'Special Advertisement Control' and 'Article 4 or 7 Directions' and you should check with the Planning Department whether this applies to you.

 

Woodcote Automatic doors offer a complete range of shop front that will be bespoke for your needs; we also take into account the local council's regulations. We specialize in Aluminum, Automatic Doors, Awning and Full Glass. We also provide a complete range of Roller Shutters and Curtain Heaters.

Changes to a shop front may need planning approval and building regulation submission. A free guidance note on renovating existing shop fronts and designing or replacing shop fronts is available at : SHOP FRONT POLICY & DESIGN GUIDANCE.

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