A SHOPKEEPER says planning rules have left his store as the only one in a high street without a shop sign.

Peter Owen removed acrylic lettering from above his Owen Sports shop in High Street, Brecon as he had failed to apply for planning permission.

But more than a year later his applications for planning permission for an advertising display on the grade II listed building has been refused by the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Planners insisted the sign, which features ’Owen Sports’ spelt out in acrylic lettering placed next to a rugby ball logo, was too big and out of keeping, for the mid 19th century shopfront which is one of a number of listed buildings in the town centre conservation area.

Mr Owen said: "I have been asked to reduce the size of the sign but we are a sports shop in the centre of Brecon, not a solicitors or anything discreet.

"I’m thinking of advertising as the shop with no sign."

The sports retailer’s run in with park planners began in 2014 when the long established shop relocated from the nearby Bethel Square shopping centre to a building on High Street.

Shortly afterwards Mr Owen was told he needed to remove the sign from above his shop as it required planning permission.

Mr Owen said he assumed as the sign had planning permission at his old shop it could be transferred to the shop in High Street.

After submitting his planning application Mr Owen was told by planners the lettering was 84cm in height and too big for the location. The park said the lettering had previously been three millimetres smaller. Mr Owen put the difference in size down to the way plans had been submitted.

Mr Owen had already forced the park to backtrack on its opposition to acrylic lettering after pointing out neighbouring stores already have acrylic shop signs.

"They had said there were to be no acrylic signs in High Street but lots of the other shops have got them and also said the signs was too big by 200th of a centimetre, that’s probably a pencil line."

Park planning officers had written to Mr Owen advising him it was unlikely the sign would be considered acceptable but if a smaller sign was proposed the plans could be resubmitted at no extra cost.

They suggested a hand painted sign would "best reflect the age of the property" and also pointed out what they considered to be good examples of hand painted and fabricated signs on High Street.

A spokeswoman for the national park said: "This planning application followed an enforcement investigation into signage put up - without planning consent - on a listed building within the conservation area of Brecon.

"The applicant had already been advised that the lettering was too large but chose to submit an application slightly bigger than the original lettering.

"The applicant was offered an opportunity to amend the proposal but did not take up that offer and the application was then refused. The officer’s report indicated they would have welcomed a more sensitive approach to the nature of the site."

Mr Owen said he was also concerned at the viability of Brecon town centre, citing concern at parking charges for customers, a rise in empty shops and reduced takings.

He said the Bethel Square shopping centre was particularly affected with a number of shops either closing or relocating to elsewhere in the town centre.