Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697809121052.pdf (Mauritius)
ROAD DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY GUIDELINES FOR THE ERECTION AND DISPLAY OF COMMERCIAL ADVERTISING STRUCTURES LOCATED ALONG OR VISIBLE FROM MOTORWAYS AND MAIN ROADS.

➢ OVERVIEW In accordance with Section 22(1) of the Roads Act, no person shall erect or display an Advertisement which is visible from a road without the written permission of the Highway Authority.
To this end, the control of the following type of commercial advertising structures (hereinafter called the Advertisement), along or visible from Motorways and Main Roads, falls under the purview of the Road Development Authority (RDA).
(1) Conventional Billboards; (2) Three-Dimensional advertising structures; (3) Product Replica Advertisements; and (4) Tower structures ➢ APPLICATION PROCESS FOR ADVERTISEMENT Any person who intends to erect, display, alter or continue to use an Advertisement, along or visible from Classified Roads, shall solicit the authorisation of the RDA by submitting his request on the prescribed Application form with supporting documents and processing fee, in person, at the following address: The Road Development Authority 6th Floor, Blue Tower, Rue de L’Institut, Ebène, Mauritius.
Tel: +230 467 8600 Fax: +230 467 2056 (The prescribed form is available for download from the RDA Website) Page 1 of 6 ➢ CONTENT OF APPLICATION A complete application shall consist of the following: (1) Prescribed application form, duly filled and signed; (2) Location and site plan, with GPS coordinates of the Advertisement; (3) Copy of Title Deed or Memorandum of Survey from Landowner or Lessee; (4) Embellishment plan from a Registered Landscape Architect of the zone where the Advertisement will be located; (5) 3D model or graphical representation of the Advertisement; (6) Original Certificate from a Registered Professional Engineer for the structural integrity of the advertising structure and that the latter has been designed to withstand a wind gust of at least 120 Km/hr with flex and 300 km/hr without flex; (7) Structural designs and Specifications in accordance with design standards and relevant codes of practise, including the fixing and installation mechanism of the Advertisement; (8) Evidence of Public Liability Insurance cover; and (9) A processing fee of Rs 500/- is payable per face per application.
Notwithstanding thereof, the following documents shall be submitted, together with the prescribed form, in case the Advertisement will be: (1) Located within 5 metres of high-tension cables, clearance from Central Electricity Board shall be sought; (2) Erected within or inside the jurisdiction of Airport, clearance from Airport Authorities shall be sought; (3) Placed or affixed flat on the façade or on rooftop of a building, clearance from District Council or Municipality shall be sought; and/or (4) Located near or within 20 m of river banks or wetlands, clearance from the Ministry of Environment Solid Waste Management and Climate Change and/or other relevant Authorities shall be sought.
Only complete applications will be processed by the Authority.
Page 2 of 6 ➢ PERMIT APPLICATION APPROVAL When the Authority is satisfied with the completeness of the application, the latter will be processed for the following modes of applications: (1) New Construction For New Construction, a two-stage process will be applied before an Advertisement permit is issued: (a) Stage 1 - ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ The application will be analysed and site visit will be conducted to check the compliance of the Advertisement in line with the RDA Specifications, Roads Acts and RDA Guidelines.
In case the Advertisement is found to be in compliance, a letter of intent, specifying all conditions pertaining to the erection and display of the Advertisement, will be issued to the Applicant.

In the same letter, the Applicant will be informed, to pay a refundable deposit fee within fourteen days, from the date of issuance of the letter, in the favour of the Authority.

The refundable deposit amount is calculated at a rate of Rs.

2,000/- per square metre, per face of Advertisement.
After paying the refundable fee, the Applicant may proceed with the erection and display of the Advertisement and affixing the Registration Mark in black, with characters no less than 100 mm onto the same.

The whole construction shall be completed, not exceeding three months.

Beyond this period, the letter of intent will become invalid.
(b) Stage 2 - ▪ ▪ The Applicant shall officially inform the Authority once the construction of the Advertisement has been completed and the Registration Mark affixed on the Advertisement.

The Applicant shall then request a site visit after submitting the Original Certificate from a Registered Professional Engineer that the works have been completed as per the approved plan, to his satisfaction.
Page 3 of 6 Prior to inspecting the compliance of the Advertisement, the Applicant may be requested to submit a Survey report, certified and signed by a Sworn Land Surveyor to confirm the location of the Advertisement with National Grid.

▪ After inspecting the compliance of the Advertisement and the affixing of the Registration mark, the Authority will issue, under Section 22(2) of the Road Acts, an Advertisement permit.
Upon receipt of the Letter of Permit, the Applicant shall thereafter, officially request the Authority to release the refundable deposit sum.

In case of non-compliance with RDA Specifications, Roads Acts and RDA Guidelines, the Authority will not refund the deposit until corrective measures are applied or the non-conform Advertisement is to be removed.
(2) Renewal Prior to renewing the Advertisement permit of an existing structure, site visit will be conducted to check the compliance of the same in line with RDA Specification, Roads Acts and RDA Guidelines.

In case of non-compliance with the aforesaid, the Applicant will be informed to bring the structure in conformity within three months or else the owner of the non-conform Advertisement will be informed accordingly, in accordance with Section 23 of the Roads Act.
(3) Alteration For alteration of advertising structure, the procedure implemented for new construction will be adopted.

➢ SPECIFICATIONS OF ADVERTISEMENTS In order to ensure public safety and maintain aesthetic of the road infrastructure, the following Specifications will be issuing Advertisement permit for commercial Advertisement: into consideration prior taken to (a) Specifications with respect to allowable face, dimensions, setbacks, orientations and distances of the Advertisement –Annex A.
Page 4 of 6 (b) Advertisement being placed flat or perpendicular, on the external face of a privately-owned building, wall, or any other structure – Annex B.
(c) Amenity and decency of Advertisement – Annex C. (d) Design, Construction and Aesthetical considerations of Advertisement – Annex D. (e) Location of Advertisement – Annex E. (f) Road safety and traffic considerations of Advertisement – Annex F. (g) Power cables and conduits to Advertisement – Annex G. (h) Floodlighting of Advertisement – Annex H. (i) Glass surround of Advertisement – Annex I.
➢ REMARKS (a) Nothing in these Guidelines shall authorise the erection or display of an illuminated or non-illuminated, Advertisement which will serve the purpose of advertising and same being partially or wholly spanning across a Main Road or Motorway; (b) Advertisement Permit for commercial Advertisement will be issued for a renewable period of Three (3) years, provided that the Applicant is in full compliance with the RDA for advertising structures; (c) Insurance cover shall be submitted yearly; (d) Any person who erects, displays or maintains an Advertisement which is located along or visible from Classified Roads, on the announcement of a cyclone warning class 2, shall make necessary arrangements to remove all advertising flex and brace the structures accordingly; (e) This new guideline will be applied with immediate effect for all new applications received for the erection and display of commercial Advertisements.
Any person who has erected or displayed or caused to be erected or displayed, shall make the necessary application, as may be necessary to conform to these guidelines, upon their application for renewal or alteration.

Page 5 of 6 (f) The Authority reserves the right: ▪ ▪ not to authorise the erection and display of Advertisement on certain types of Classified Roads; and to amend these guidelines at any point in time.
DATE: NOVEMBER 2022 Page 6 of 6 ANNEX A - SPECIFICATIONS WITH RESPECT TO ALLOWABLE FACE, DIMENSIONS, SETBACKS, ORIENTATIONS AND DISTANCES OF THE ADVERTISEMENT No.

Specifications Conventional Billboards Three-Dimensional advertising structures 1.

Allowable face Not more than 3 faces Product Replica advertising structures Tower structures Not more than 3 faces Maximum permissible area 75 m2, when free standing and on rooftop 75 m2 Allowable height of the supporting pole/structure with the Advertisement.

1.
1.

Shall not exceed 15 m from ground level to top of structure 1.

Shall not exceed 15 m from ground level to top of structure 2.

Shall not exceed 5 m from roof surface to top of structure 2.

Shall not exceed 5 m from roof surface to top of structure Minimum setback distance between road edge with exterior edge of Advertisement.

Minimum radial distance between nearest corner, stop line or give way line of a junction with exterior edge of Advertisement.
Size of billboard with respect to classified roads (m) 1.

Along or visible from a Motorway (1) (2) (3) Billboard up to 12 m² Billboard exceeding 12 m² but up to 48 m² Billboard exceeding 48 m² but up to 75 m² 2.
Along or visible from a Main Road (1) (2) Billboard up to 48 m² Billboard exceeding 48 m² but up to 75 m² Main Roads – 30 m Motorways – 100 m 5 10 15 3 5 Main Roads – 5 m Motorways – 15 m Main Roads – 30 m Motorways – 100 m Minimum radial distance between the exterior edge of 2 consecutive Advertisement, regardless of their facing direction.

Main Roads & Motorway - 100 m Main Roads & Motorway - 100 m Orientation of exterior edge of Advertisement with respect to the edge of carriageway.
To be displayed perpendicular or, at an angle of 30 degrees, to the direction of oncoming traffic.

To be displayed perpendicular or, at an angle of 30 degrees, to the direction of oncoming traffic.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7. .

ANNEX B – ADVERTISEMENT PLACED FLAT OR PERPENDICULAR, ON THE EXTERNAL FACE OF A PRIVATELY OWNED BUILDING, WALL, OR ANY OTHER STRUCTURE.

(1) No Advertisement shall be placed perpendicular to the external face of a privately owned building, wall, or any other structure.
(2) Where an Advertisement is placed flat: (a) the Advertisement shall be subjected to clearance from Local Authorities, when covering any windows or other external openings of a building or obstruct the view from such openings.

(b) the Advertisement shall not: (i) exceed the visible wall surface area to which they are attached, affixed or painted; and (ii) extend beyond the top or beyond the ends of the wall to which it is attached, in any direction.
(c) The surface area of that Advertisement: (i) not exceeding 75 square metres, a minimum setback distance as set out in Annex A shall be respected; and (ii) exceeding 75 square metres, a minimum setback distance of 15 m and 5 m, along or visible from Main Roads and Motorways respectively, shall be respected.
ANNEX C - AMENITY AND DECENCY OF ADVERTISEMENT No Advertisement shall: (a) disfigures or injuriously affects: (i) the amenities, aesthetic appeal, ecological integrity and the character of any town or village or of a public garden, square or pleasure promenade; and (ii) the natural beauty of a landscape.
(b) is visible along scenic roads; (c) displays gambling or promotes products which will be detrimental to public health; (d) is detrimental to the environment or to the amenity of a human living environment by reason of its size, colour, texture, intensity or illumination, quality of design or materials or for any other reason; (e) unreasonably obscures, partially or wholly, any Advertisement owned by another person previously erected and legally displayed; (f) uses the National Flag for or in connection with any Advertisement, nor exhibit or display in any part of such flag, any name, device or mark intended for purposes of Advertisement; and (g) causes visual or noise disamenity to the neighbouring residents.
ANNEX D - DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND AESTHETICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF ADVERTISEMENT Every Advertisement shall: (a) be neatly and properly constructed and executed and finished in a workmanlike manner, up to the satisfaction of the Authority; (b) have a neat appearance and consist of durable materials in accordance with the function, nature and permanence of the Advertisement; (c) have a neat appearance in respect of the content and signwriting; (d) not deface any building facade; (e) be structurally safe and sound, satisfying the requirements of the Authority; (f) having more than one pole, be equipped and with a cladding to hide its poles; (g) where it is attached to brickwork, masonry or concrete, be securely and effectively attached thereto by means of bolts securely embedded in, or passing through and secured on the opposite side of, such brickwork, masonry or concrete; (h) not be secured by water soluble adhesive, adhesive tape or similar material; (i) (j) have every exposed metalwork painted or otherwise treated to prevent corrosion and all timber treated to prevent decay; take such necessary measures as to prevent entry of water into, and the accumulation of water or moisture on or in, the Advertisement or any part of its supporting framework, brackets or other members; (k) (i) not obstruct any: (1) window or opening provided for the ventilation of a building; or (2) stairway or doorway or other means of exit from a building.
(ii) prevent the movement of persons from one part of a roof to another part.

(l) not block or conceal, the public view of the: (i) front of any establishment in any manner so that the business behind is affected; or (ii) architectural features of any building.
(m) not endanger the safety of the place or structure where it is attached; (n) where so required, be painted with weatherproof paint of good quality; (o) not project outside the boundaries of the property on which it is to be erected or displayed: (i) comply with the minimum clearance with regard to overhead power lines stipulated in applicable law; (ii) not result in the removal of, or damage to, any trees in a public place without prior written authorisation of the Authority; and (iii) be readily and easily dismantled.
ANNEX E - LOCATION OF ADVERTISEMENT (1) No Advertisement shall be erected or displayed, or caused to be erected or displayed or continue to be used: (a) on the carriageway, road embankment, road cutting, road shoulder, central reservation, roadside drain or footpath; (b) on any guardrail, traffic light, traffic sign, street lighting poles, guard-stone, shrubs or tree; (c) on a security access control structure to any area property or building within an area which is accident prone or dangerous.
(d) on boundary wall, fence or retaining wall; (e) on any bridge, pier, abutment, handrail, public bin, gantry, triumphal arch, electric or telephone pole, or sign post; and (f) on any public building, water tank or reservoir, national or historical monument, public wall or fencing, national park, natural reserve and public garden or at less than 100 metres from the entrances of public buildings or places of worship.
(2) No Advertisement shall be erected or displayed, or caused to be erected or displayed or continue to be used, around or within the vicinity of: (a) the airport, without the prior written approval of the airport authorities; (b) river banks or wetland, without the prior written approval of relevant Ministries; and (c) Petrol filling and service stations, without the prior written approval of the Mauritius Fire and Rescue Service.
ANNEX F - ROAD SAFETY AND TRAFFIC CONSIDERATIONS No Advertisement shall: (a) constitutes a danger to any other person or property; (b) distracts, or contains an element which distracts, the attention of the driver of a vehicle in a manner likely to lead to unsafe driving conditions; (c) competes with traffic control devices for the road user’s attention; (d) results in visual clutter to the extent that traffic control devices cannot be easily seen and recognised by road users; (e) obscures or interferes with a road user’s view of other vehicles and pedestrians; (f) poses a hazard to errant vehicles; (g) is attached to a traffic sign, combined with a traffic sign, obscures a traffic sign, creates confusion with a traffic sign, interferes with the functioning and effectiveness of a traffic sign, or creates a road safety hazard; (h) obscures the view of a pedestrian or a driver, or obscures a road, sidewalk or a road feature, including a junction, bend or a change in width of a road; (i) (j) obstructs a fire escape or the means of access to or egress from a fire escape; projects over a road, a passage for pedestrians or a cycle track; (k) displays the colours red, amber or green in the vicinity of an intersection where traffic lights are operating; (l) is at a road junction, sharp bend, roundabout, black spot, on a traffic island, road median, ghost island, slip lane, merging and diverging of flyover or junction, or in any dangerous zone; (m) emits noise, sound, smoke, smell or odour; (n) is illuminated or reflective to the extent that it causes discomfort to, or inhibits the vision of an approaching pedestrian or the drive of a vehicle; and (o) encourages stopping, slowing down or turning movements in inappropriate locations.
ANNEX G - POWER CABLES AND CONDUITS TO ADVERTISEMENT 1.
Every Advertisement located along or visible from, motorways and main roads, which is electrically powered shall – (a) have power cables and conduit containing electrical conductors positioned and fixed so that they are not unsightly; (b) be of material that is not combustible; (c) be wired and constructed in accordance with and subject to the provisions of all applicable laws; and (d) be provided with an external switch in an accessible position whereby the electricity supply to the sign may be switched off.
2.

No Advertisement located along or visible from, motorways and main roads, which is electrically powered shall be connected to any electricity supply without the prior written permission of the Central Electricity Board and such permission shall, on request by an authorised official, be presented to him or her by the owner of the Advertisement concerned.

ANNEX H – FLOODLIGHTING OF ADVERTISEMENT 1.

2.


Light source for every Advertisement located along or visible from, motorways and main roads, shall be positioned to ensure effective distribution of light and minimise light wastage or spill; and Any light source for an Advertisement located along or visible from, motorways and main roads, shall not be visible to traffic travelling in either direction.
ANNEX I - GLASS SURROUND OF ADVERTISEMENT All glass used in – (a) an Advertisement, other than glass tubing used in a neon or similar Advertisement, shall be safety glass at least 6 millimetres thick, unless otherwise specified and certified by a Registered Professional Engineer, appointed and paid by the Applicant; (b) a neon or similar Advertisement, shall be as per recommendation of a Registered Professional Engineer, appointed and paid by the Applicant; and (c) an Advertisement shall not exceed 0.9 square metres in area, each panel being securely fixed in the body of the Advertisement, structure or device independently of all other panels.