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                                                 17/00445/D
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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 17/00445/D Applicant : Shoprite Group Plc Proposal : Installation of one illuminated sign Site Address : Shoprite Bridson Street Port Erin Isle Of Man IM9 6AL

Case Officer : Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken : 09.05.2017 Site Visit : 09.05.2017 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report

THE SITE 1.1 The site is the curtilage of the Shoprite supermarket in Port Erin together with the part of the car park which is owned and operated by them. The site sits between Bay View Road, Bridson Street and a narrow link known variously as Cherry Orchard Street, Orchard Road and Orchard Street, between Bridson Street and Church Road, to the south of the site. The store is a large, flat roofed, modern building which sits opposite a row of shops which are of a more interesting design and finish and which back onto Bridson Street.

1.2 The entrance to the site from Bay View Road is presently uncluttered by any signage other than a pole mounted highway sign indicating "car park" roughly where the proposed sign is to be placed.

THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed initially was the installation of two signs: one is on the side of the building which faces south onto the link road and the other is a free standing sign at the northern entrance to the car park. Following concerns raised, the free standing sign has been removed from the application.

2.2 The wall mounted sign which remains for consideration, will sit on the top half of the wall with two external down lighters with "shoprite" in orange and green individual lettering and "subway cafe" underneath in individual italic style lettering.

2.3 The free standing sign sits at car park level which is 1.5m below road level, with 4.1m high poles sitting above. The poles will support two signboards, the upper with "shoprite" and the lower with no advertisement shown. The advertisements will be on both sides of the boards. The sign will be set back 3m from the carriageway of Bay View Road, not interfering with the visibility from the entrance to the right which remains at 75m.

2.4 Following objections from the local authority and the planning officer, together with one from a local resident, the applicant has asked for the free standing sign off Bay View Road to be withdrawn from the proposal.

PLANNING POLICY 3.1 The site lies within an area of Mixed Use on the Area Plan for the South which reflects the variety of uses in the area. The site is not within any existing or proposed Conservation Area.

3.2 The Strategic Plan provides specific advice about advertisements as follows:

General Policy 6: Within our towns and villages, the display of external advertisements

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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.

General Policy 7: 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.

3.3 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.

PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 The site has been the subject of a number of applications for alterations to the store including one for signage on the Cherry Orchard Street side which was refused for being out of keeping and unwarranted (91/01522/D). Other signage, including that on the building, has been approved (93/00846/D).

REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 An objection has been received from the owner of 20, Fairway Close, expressing concern at the size of the free standing sign alongside Bay View Road which he compares with the size of the rear of a container lorry and the sort of signage found on a UK motorway. He recommends that the sign is reduced to no greater than 1500mm by 1000mm high which would better withstand the prevailing wind (29.04.17).

5.2 Port Erin Commissioners object to the free standing sign on the basis of its size, position and impact on the safety of those using the Bay View Road access (11.05.17). The applicant, Commissioners and Planning Officer have had further discussions and have considered smaller signs but none met with the approval of all.

ASSESSMENT 6.1 Now that the free standing sign has been removed from consideration, the only matter for consideration is whether the wall mounted sign off Orchard Road has any detrimental impact on the amenity of the area or the public safety of those using the area in accordance with the Control of Advertisements Regulations 2013.

6.2 The sign is noticeable but not so prominent or eye-catching as to present a hazard for highway safety. It would add interest to an otherwise blank gable and could be said to improve its appearance. This is recommended for approval.

INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 7.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 2013, 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) Persons to whom notice has been given under regulation 10(3)(a)(i) (d) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material; (e) The Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure; (f) The Ports Division of the Department of Infrastructure;

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(g) The operator of the railway or tramway; and (h) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

7.2 The owner of 20, Fairway Close lives some distance from the site and could not be said to be directly affected by it and as such should not be afforded interested person status.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 20.06.2017

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. For clarification, no approval is granted to the proposed sign shown to be erected alongside the site entrance onto Bay View Road.

This approval relates to the erection of one sign on the elevation facing Orchard Road/Street as shown in drawing P-02. No approval is granted to any other signage shown on this drawing.

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 : 21.06.2017 Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER

Stephen Butler

Head of Development Management

Customer note

This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/customers and archive records.