FUNERAL directors who have been battling to be allowed to put up a hanging sign outside at their office in the Devizes Conservation Area have failed to win a planning appeal.

D J Bewley first put in an application for the sign for its premises at 64 New Park Street back in May but Wiltshire Council turned it down in July.

The undertakers then appealed but now inspector Jacqueline Wilkinson has thrown out the plan for the listed building saying it would be at odds with the uncluttered character of the road and harm the street scene.

Both Devizes Town Council and the Trust For Devizes objected to the plan which they said was not in keeping with the road. The inspector agreed and in her report said: "The appeal building is one of a handsome group of early nineteenth century Grade 2 listed buildings.

"The fascia has been approved, but I consider that the addition of projecting sign would add to the visual clutter on the façade of this building. It would therefore fail to preserve the listed building.

"Whilst this street has a mixed character, in this section it is relatively free of commercial signage as there is a predominance of residential uses."

The saga of signs outside the business has a long history. The family firm upset people in the town last year when it put up large signs on the outside of the building which were bigger than its planning permission allowed.

The Trust For Devizes pointed out the breach to Wiltshire Council and the funeral directors faced enforcement action by Wiltshire Council. The firm then appealed but were unsuccessful.

At the time the Trust said: "This has been a very long and costly process but is a triumph for the planning system."

But the funeral directors are upset by the latest decision which prevents them from advertising their business and point to other shops and offices in the street that have got hanging signs.

Patrick Bewley believes the sign in white and blue that would have been made from foam board and not illuminated would not be intrusive. It was planned for the sign to be hung above the entrance door.

He said: "There are a lot of commercial buildings in the road and most of them have hanging signs so it seems a bit unfair. We have spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on the building putting it back into good repair which you would think the council would be pleased about. It is not a big sign and would not have had a major impact."

But Ms Wilkinson concluded it would have spoilt the look of the area.