THE owner of a popular cafe in Leigh is set to be ordered to tear down eye-catching orange signs after installing them without planning permission.

Dash!, on the corner of Broadway West, is one of Leigh’s busiest cafes, boasting five star reviews, but Southend Council is now preparing to approve enforcement action.

According to the council, the aluminium shopfront and signs, as well as its awning, has been installed without planning permission and is “causing harm” to the street scene in the Leigh Conservation Area.

If enforcement action is approved at a meeting next Wednesday, the business will be forced to remove the signs.

The breach of planning rules was first reported to the council in August 2022.

Daniel Cowan, Labour leader of Southend Council, said: “Enforcement action is often a last resort for our planning department and they have raised significant concerns about the unauthorised shopfronts, fascias and awnings on the building.

“Our planning officers are highly trained and work hard with residents and businesses on their planning applications to get the best mutual outcome.

“It is important that planning permission is granted before work is carried out and we encourage all to consider using our pre-application service to help preempt any issues or concerns.

“This is now a matter for our development control committee to consider.”

The council’s report noted the harm caused, while “less than substantial,” is still “significant” enough and is not outweighed by any public benefit.

A planning application for installing a new shopfront to the unit was rejected in December 2022, and another application to retain its metal shopfront and awnings and install various moulded timber panels was rejected in July 2023.

An appeal against the Council’s decision for the 2023 Application was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate in February 2024. This was dismissed in May 2024.

The owner of the building will be given six months to comply with the enforcement action if it is approved by the council.

The council’s report added time was given to the operators of the site to come up with an “alternative solution to remedy the identified breach.”