Parks, leisure and the arts St Ann's Square Conservation Area

Shop security

Shop security is as relevant in this conservation area as in other parts of the city centre. Elsewhere the use of solid shutters on the outside of shopfronts has proved environmentally unattractive, removing visual interest as well as light for passers-by. If a shutter is required, planning permission is normally needed. It is preferable for it to be located behind the glass and to be of an open type, so that visual interest is maintained from the outside when the interior lights are left on. External shutter boxes are often difficult to incorporate satisfactorily into the form of buildings, and will not normally be permitted. In any event, they should never obliterate architectural details.

It is recommended that when shopfronts are replaced they should incorporate structural members vertically and horizontally, in order to provide a greater degree of security. This may be carried out in a traditional manner, with a stallriser, or it might be achieved with a more modern design. Sub-division of the front also makes good sense, as replacement of individual parts is much cheaper than re-installing an entire shopfront.

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