Royal Oak sign appeal finally gets a result

01 January 2000
Royal Oak sign appeal finally gets a result

Kevan Draper, owner of the Royal Oak of Luxborough, has won his lengthy battle against bureaucracy.

Six months ago he erected a sign on the front of the inn, in the small village of Luxborough in Exmoor National Park.

Designed to draw motorists' attention to the 14th-century 11-bedroom property, it also drew the attention of Exmoor National Park Authority who invited Draper to apply for planning permission.

He applied for permission, but following a site meeting the authority decided the size and design of the sign was "detrimental to the integrity of the building and the visual amenities of the locality".

Draper lodged an appeal through the Planning Inspectorate, an agency of the Department of the Environment.

An independent inspector has now concluded: "The sign is simply and tastefully designed and I do not consider that it looks out of place on the premises."

Said Draper: "I am pleased with the result but I have submitted other planning applications and I don't want the authority to feel it has had its knuckles rapped and take revenge on the other matters."

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