St George's Day fines of £2,500 for flying flags outside home next Thursday

St George's Day is next week, but homeowners could face fines of up to £2,500 if they display an England flag in breach of planning regulations. St George's Day commemorates the patron saint on the anniversary of his death back in 303 AD.

Church services are held annually for St George's Day, with gatherings commonly taking place in Trafalgar Square. However, if you're intending to hoist an England flag for the occasion, you ought to be mindful of local authority planning regulations, which could result in a £2,500 penalty for non-compliance. In recent years, the Government has eased restrictions on flag flying, not merely the Union Jack, but also the flags of England, Wales, Ireland and indeed any national flag whatsoever, as it seeks to encourage greater flag displays across the board.

England flags - alongside Scottish flags, Commonwealth nation flags, NHS and LGBT flags - are all permitted for display at your property. These may be of any size when flown from the roof, and will incur no penalties as a consequence.

However, should you be displaying the flag on a flagpole extending from any section of the property apart from the roof, the flag must not exceed two square metres in size. Permission is necessary if your home is situated within a controlled zone, such as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Those who fail to adhere to these regulations could be reported and fined up to £2,500 for declining to comply with their local council's request to take down an oversized flag.

The Government says all flags must be maintained in a condition that does not impair the overall visual appearance of the site, be kept in a safe condition, and have the permission of the owner of the site on which they are displayed (this includes the Highway Authority if the sign is to be placed on highway land).

They must also not obscure or hinder the interpretation of official road, rail, waterway, or aircraft signs, or otherwise make hazardous the use of these modes of transport, and must be removed carefully where so required by the planning authority.

If you're displaying the flag from a pole jutting out from any section of a building aside from the roof, more stringent regulations apply.

The Town and Country Planning Regulations 2007 specify that there are restrictions on the maximum dimensions for flags flying on your property if mounted on a pole, rather than on the roof.

The Government states: "The flag may not exceed 2 square metres in size. No restrictions on the size of characters. Consent is required if the flagpole is in a controlled area."

The legislation stipulates: "A person displaying an advertisement in contravention of these regulations shall be liable, on summary conviction of an offence under section 224(3) of the Act, to a fine of an amount not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale and, in the case of a continuing offence, one tenth of level 4 on the standard scale [£2,500] for each day during which the offence continues after conviction."