A BAN on estate agents' boards is being widened out across the city six years after it was first introduced.

Councillors have voted to widen out a ban on estate agent boards at a full council meeting.

The move has received a mixed response from estate agents with some welcoming the end of the "ugly" board while others bemoan the loss of a "useful tool".

The scheme was first brought into being in certain conservation areas in 2010 with estate agents facing a fine of up to £1,000.

Councillors argued that extending the ban was required as a “matter of urgency” with the proliferation of boards leaving streets cluttered.

Councillor Robert Nemeth said the original policy had been welcomed by the industry and residents and council officers had assured him it was a largely self-policing scheme which costs very little to uphold.

The Conservative councillor said it was clear that some areas of the city such as St Aubyns, near Hove seafront, Livingstone Road near Hove Railway Station and streets off Lewes Road and London Road had been mistakenly left off from the original scheme.

Dan Lyons of Brighton Accommodation Agency said: "I agree with the move, I think letting boards look ugly.

"These days they are a little bit outdated when you have internet portals like Facebook and Twitter.

"It costs a fortune to make these boards and before you get them back you might have every third one vandalised.

"They make the city look a bit rank, I'm quite glad they are going."

One estate agent, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "They are a really useful tool for people who might not be actively looking to buy or sell their house.

"There are streets that people might really want to live down but where homes rarely come up.

"There's no technology that can replace that.

"I would be sad to see them go."

Cllr Nemeth said he brought the motion to full council after being inspired by resident and campaigner Caroline Lynch, who first raised the issue of “unsightly” estate agent boards in student areas of the city at the first economic development committee he attended.

The Wish ward councillor said: “As our central areas become denser with more boards appearing and now that the way that property is being marketed is changing, now seems an ideal time to regularise the situation and see this policy through to its natural conclusion.”

His ward colleague Garry Peltzer-Dunn said the boards had become a tool for “unscrupulous agents” to advertise themselves rather than property as originally intended.

He said a house near to him had a sale agreed subject to contract sign up for four months.