Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities currently operate restrictions on the display of to-let boards in all or part of their areas; how many applications he has received from local authorities for the removal of deemed consent to to-let boards since 2010; and how many of these applications he has approved.

A sensible balance needs to be struck between letting people advertise their home for sale and allowing forests of boards which disfigure the street scene. Councils have powers to tackle the proliferation of such boards where it is an acute local problem.

Ten local authorities are known to operate restrictions on the display of to-let boards. Eight applications have been received since 2010 of which two were to renew previous Secretary of State Directions. All applications have been approved either in full or with modifications.