L u r g a n
A r e a
of •Townscape•Character
Blinds, canopies and shutters
Other signage
2.3.33
2.3.36
The use of well designed blinds along Market Street and High Street
Although signs on the inside of a shop window, or displayed within a shop unit, do not require planning consent. they can severely detract
could provide rhylhm and colour enhancing the shopping character of the area and giving shelter to pedestrians and extem olly displayed
from the visual amenity of the Town Centre. Large areas covered by
goods. The colour, style, location and number of blinds will have a
window sticl<ers and large illuminated signs within the shop are not
major effect on the streetscene and so control and guidance 1s
acceptable. Acceptable forms of internal signage include signwriting
required. There is a historic precedent for straight roller or apron
on the glazing c1nd wet\ designed suspended signs.
blinds in the area dating from the rnid-19th century. Blinds may be wholly inappropriate on some Georgian or earlier buildings.
Upper floors 2.3.34
Canvas flat blinds are the traditional t orm found within t he area. "Dutch" blinds should be avoided as they generally weather poorly
2.3.37
Upper floor business premises should be advertised by lettering
and are often in a standardised plastic form. 1·f blinds are installed
applied directly to the inside of the windows. By contrast, 'loud'
"they should be seen as an integral part of the shopfront design,
poster displays are unattractive and inappropriate.
being fully retractable into a blind box which itself does not protrude in front of t he fascia or pilast ers being positioned in line with the c1 rchitrave. Cano pies should not be fitted across pilasters or shopfront
Materials and details
surrounds.
2.3.38 2.3.35
The number of materials in a shopfront design should be kept to a
If shutter blinds are used for night-time security they should be
minimum. Over-elaborat e shopfronts may have a detrimental impact
integrated into the shopfront, with individual blinds for windows
on the traditional frontage and should therefore be avoided. Timber
and doors. Where blinds are necessary they should be 'open-weaved'
is the trnditional material for shopfronts and should be used on older
and should prefcrc1bly be inside the window wi th partial internal
buildings, where its finish and detailing sho1.J ld r eflect the
lighting. If external shutters are required, the shutter box should be
architecture o-f the whole facade. If it is regularly maintained it can
treated as a part of the shopfront design and should not project in
have a long life, and avoids the rapidly dating look of many
front of the fascia or pilasters. The use of solid blinds should be
alternative m at erials.
avoided as they create a complet ely b lank frontage at night and create a dead town centre after sho pping hours.
