Labour council bans couple from erecting flagpole in garden to fly Union Jack
A homeowner in Warrington has been told they cannot put up a flagpole to display the Union flag outside their property.The Labour-run borough council turned down the planning application for a seven-metre pole, saying it would not fit in with the local area.The resident wanted to install the flagpole in their front garden at their home on Cann Lane North in Appleton.But council planners rejected the proposal, stating that the pole's "significant scale and prominent placement" meant it would not "respect, sustain, or make a positive contribution to local character and distinctiveness within the surrounding area". The property is a two-storey detached house with five bedrooms in a residential neighbourhood.Planning documents show the homeowner intended to fly the national flag from the pole, with the Union Flag measuring 1.83 metres wide and 0.91 metres high.The proposed flagpole would have stood well above the legal limit that allows poles up to 4.6 metres without planning permission.Council officials said the pole would have been positioned in front of the building line and would have exceeded the height of neighbouring homes.A homeowner in Warrington has been told they can't put up a flagpole to display the Union Flag outside their property | GETTYThe application was formally submitted to Warrington Borough Council seeking full planning permission for the installation.The plans faced opposition from neighbours who submitted two letters of objection to the council.Their concerns focused on how the flagpole would affect the area's visual appeal and character, as well as worries about noise from the flag flapping in the wind.When the proposal was discussed at an Appleton Parish Council planning committee meeting, members raised additional concerns that the flag might extend over neighbouring properties when flying.Three ward councillors were notified about the application but did not submit any comments.The planning officer's report noted that the surrounding area is entirely residential, which influenced the decision to recommend refusal.Council bosses emphasised that their decision was based purely on the flagpole's size rather than the type of flag being displayed.The planning officer's report highlighted that the proposal "vastly exceeds the 4.6m maximum allowed height" for flagpoles that don't require permission.Mock-up images showed the flag would have flown higher than the neighbouring property, with the pole positioned prominently at the front of the garden.In their formal refusal, the council stated the development would be "contrary to the aims and objectives of planning policy" due to its scale and placement in the residential area.
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