1 Overview
Before erecting directional developer signs on the public highway or private street, it is the sign company's responsibility to obtain a directional developer sign (DDS) licence. This does not apply to roads that are not maintained by West Sussex County Council (WSCC) - for example, the A27, which is the responsibility of National Highways.
You must make contact with the relevant authority and gain approval before erecting any signage.
You must also obtain permission from Enerveo before you attach any signs to their street furniture, such as lamp columns, to comply with the traffic signs regulation and general directions 2016.
Unless there are exceptional circumstances, WSCC will only allow a maximum of ten signs per development.
We require a minimum of five working days' advance notice from the date of application to the date the signs will be erected.
The cost of a DDS licence is currently £730 for up to six signs and £146 for each additional sign, up to a maximum of ten.
The licence duration is up to one calendar year. You are able to apply for longer periods if required. Any extension period is also for up to one calendar year.
2 Apply for a licence
Apply for a new licence (external link)3 Terms and conditions
Responsibility
The licensee will be responsible for all costs including the manufacture, erection and maintenance of the directional developer signs in accordance with this licence.
Requirements
All directional development signs must comply with the requirements of diagram 2701 or diagram 2701.1 in the thirteenth schedule to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016. The "x" height for the sign legend is 50mm and at least 2.3 metres headroom must be left below any signs that overhang a footway.
All directional development signs must display the licence number and expiry date of the licence on the back of the signs.
Health and safety
The licensee and their employees or agents shall pay due regard to the safety and control of all highway users and the additional particular needs of the visually and mobility impaired. Signs and warning notices shall be displayed in accordance with the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016, the Health and Safety (Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 and any other legislative requirements.
Road signs
No existing road sign or line shall be obscured or rendered less effective by erection of directional developer signs without the approval of the council who may require the licensee to provide or pay for the provision of alternative signing or lining to their requirements. No more than 2 directional developer signs are to be attached to any one pole.
Site conditions
The licensee and their employees or agents shall in addition to the above requirements comply with the additional site specific conditions and shall also comply forthwith with any directions given (whether in writing or otherwise) by the council regarding the erection of directional developer signs.
Signage
You will need to obtain permission from the West Sussex County Council’s street lighting contractor (SSE) to erect any directional developer signs on lamp columns or other illuminated street furniture, so that SSE can check that the type of fixings used to attach your signs to highway lamp columns or sign posts will not cause any damage west.sussexmaint@ssecontracting.com. The licensee shall take all reasonable steps to prevent damage to the lighting columns, in, upon or over which the developer directional signs are attached to and if any such damage is caused by reason of the erection of the developer directional signs, the cost of making good the damage shall be paid by the licensee to the council within fourteen days of receipt by the licensee of a demand for such payment.
Upon the expiry of this license or upon its termination as a result of a breach of any of the terms and conditions herein contained, the licensee shall forthwith remove the developer directional signs or West Sussex County Council will remove the signs at a cost to the licensee of £100 per sign removed.