Officer Report

Application No.: 18/00491/D Applicant: David Christian Paramor Proposal: Installation of non-illuminated signage to rear (retrospective) Site Address: Ground Floor 20 Duke Street Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 2AY Planning Officer: Mr Owen Gore Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 28.08.2018 _________________________________________________________________

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions C 1. The advertisement(s) hereby granted consent shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice. Reason: To avoid the accumulation of unimplemented advertisement consents.

N 1. The applicant is reminded of the obligations under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 2013, Schedule 1, [Regulation 4(1)] - 'Standard Conditions' which are as follows: -

• (1) Any advertisements displayed, and any site used for the display of advertisements, must be maintained in a clean and tidy condition to the reasonable satisfaction of the Department.
• (2) Any structure or hoarding erected or used principally for the purpose of displaying advertisements must be maintained in a safe condition.
• (3) Where an advertisement is required under these Regulations to be removed, the removal must be carried out to the reasonable satisfaction of the Department.
• (4) An advertisement must not be displayed without the permission of the owner of the site or any other person with an interest in the site entitled to grant permission.
• (5) An advertisement must not be sited or displayed so as to obscure, or hinder the ready interpretation of, any traffic sign, railway or tramway signal or aid to navigation by water or air, or so as otherwise to render hazardous the use of any highway, railway, tramway, harbour or aerodrome.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This consent relates to the following plans and documents: -

Email from 'Artwork' dated 15 March 2018 Site Plan Photograph Date-stamped as having been received 10 May 2018 _______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons None _____________________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report THE SITE

1.1 The application site is part of property at 20 Duke Street, on the rear elevation, which faces onto 'Muckles Gate'. THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The proposal is for the retrospective consent for the installation of non-illuminated signage to rear of the property. PLANNING POLICY - 3.1 The application site is shown on the Douglas Local Plan 1998 map 1 (centre) as being within an area designated as 'Predominantly Shopping'. The application site is within the Athol Street/Victoria Street Conservation Area, which includes the application building; however the adjoining building to the south and the car park to the east both fall outside of any conservation Area.

3.2 The Control of Advertisements Regulations 2013 make it clear that the only considerations which can be applied to applications made under them are in the interests of amenity and public safety. In the case of amenity, such things as the general characteristics of the area need to be taken into account along with the presence of any features of historic, architectural, cultural or similar interest and the public safety should consider the safety of any person using a road, railway, tramway, harbour or aerodrome including the obscuration of any traffic sign or similar. - 3.3 Due to the designation of the site and the nature of the application it is appropriate to consider the following polices of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016: - 3.4 General Policy 2 states: "Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:

• (b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them;
• (c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality;

3.5 General Policy 6 states: 'Within our towns and villages, the display of external advertisements will be permitted on the site or building to which they relate provided they:

• (a) are of a high standard of design and materials and relate well to the building and site on which they are to be displayed;
• (b) are in keeping with and do not detract from the surrounding area; and
• (c) are located so as not to cause a highway safety hazard'.

3.6 General Policy 7 states: 'Within our towns and villages, the display of external advertisements on sites or buildings other than those to which they relate will not generally be permitted'. - 3.7 Environment Policy 37 states: 'As a general policy, advertisements within Conservation Areas will be permitted only if:

• i) the proposal preserves or enhances the Conservation Area;
• ii) the signage is in a style appropriate to the character of the area;
• iii) traditional materials and finishes are used and glossy and highly reflective materials are excluded from proposals; and
• iv) internally illuminated box fascia and projecting box signs are excluded from the proposals'.

3.8 Environment Policy 38 states: 'Advertisements close to Conservation Areas must respect and preserve the character and appearance of the area to ensure that views into and out of such areas are protected'.

PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 The previous planning applications are not considered to be specifically material in the assessment of the current application.

REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only.

5.1 Representation from the Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division confirms that they do not oppose, in the letter dated 12 June 2018.

5.2 Douglas Borough Council have commented on this application and stated that they do not object in the letter dated 07 June 2018. ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The proposal is for a new fixed sign to be located at the rear of the application building; the sign will not be illuminated, although it also does not use traditional materials and the finish will be using glossy materials.

6.2 The proposal is within the Conservation Area, as the site and building forms the boundary; however the signage faces outwards to overlook the car park. The proposed sign is also on the rear elevation of the property in a part of the Conservation Area that is not representative of the wider historic designation.

6.3 As the site is located within an area of Predominantly Shopping and due to the nature of the site proposal is considered to be acceptable and the application is recommended for approval. CONCLUSION - 7.1 The proposal would not unacceptably harm the characteristics of the existing building or the character of its surroundings. The proposed development would not result in a significant adverse impact upon the living conditions of neighbouring residents. The proposal therefore complies with General Policy 2. INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 Article 6(4), the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent;
• (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested;

• (c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material
• (d) Highway Services Division of Department of Infrastructure and
• (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated. 8.2 The decision maker must determine:

• o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and
• o whether there are other persons to those listed in Article 6(4) who should be given Interested Person Status.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Head of Development Management in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 30.08.2018 Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management

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