The government wants to streamline the planning regulations that apply to flag-flying to cut bureaucracy and reduce or eliminate the cost of applying for consent. This discussion paper sets out proposals for possible change to secondary legislation in order to achieve this.

The changes proposed in this document are aimed at finding a way of preserving and encouraging valued flag-flying traditions, while at the same time maintaining safeguards against the unregulated display of flags that could affect local amenity or cause offence.