Council panel rejects ban on city billboards

Aucklander's who enjoy staring at Dan Carter in his underwear can breathe easier after a panel of commissioners rejected a council plan to ban billboards.

The panel will recommend the council allow all legally established billboards but apply tougher conditions on new ones.

Recommendations include tougher guidelines on location, height, size and lighting and enforcement which could see non-compliant billboards removed or covered within 24 hours.

The panel will also recommend that no new free-standing billboards be allowed in the city and that the council take up an offer from the outdoor advertising industry to work on issues around heritage concerns, no-go areas and protecting key entry points.

The recommendations will be decided upon by the full council next month but the panel's views are not expected to be reversed.

- NZPA