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Application No.: 17/00345/D Applicant: Millets Proposal: Erection of illuminated and non-illuminated signage Site Address: Tower House Castle Street & Loch Promenade Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 2EZ Case Officer : Miss Lucy Kinrade Photo Taken: 23.05.2017 Site Visit: 23.05.2017 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation
Officer’s Report THE SITE
1.1 The application site is located within Tower House, Loch Promenade, Douglas. Tower House sits a corner site between Castle Street, Loch Promenade and Senna Slip. The existing building comprises a number of units used for retail purpose some of which lie empty. The application site is an existing unit on the northern side of the ground floor. - 1.2 The key points of the site are:
1.3 On the existing elevation of Castle Street there are a number of designated framed advertising areas above the each of the retail units. PROPOSAL
2.1 Original drawings submitted for the application proposed advertisement signage on every elevation of the unit, including large signage on the promenade facing elevations. The character and appearance of the Promenade is sought to be protected and preserved in accordance to policies set out in the Strategic Plan 2016. - 2.2 Following discussions with the agent the proposal is now to erect two internally illuminated advertisement signs within the two existing designated framed areas on the Castle Street side and the installation of a new advertisement banner on the same side with external illumination above. - 2.3 The two signs above the unit will be approximately 2800mm long x 580mm wide and will sit within the existing designated framework on the Castle Street elevation. The proposed signs are to be aluminium semi-gloss signs 30mm deep and to be finished in a non-illuminated dark grey. Both signs will feature the advertisement letters of 'millets' and the associated green Millets logo. The individual built up letters and logo will be finished in acrylic and will project 60mm from the signs. These individual elements are proposed to be internally illuminated via LED.
2.4 The 500mm wide x 2600mm long banner will be externally illuminated via a trough light on the top projecting arm. The banner will sit portrait to the existing building and will feature the advertisement letters of 'millets' in white and its associated green logo on a black/grey background. - 2.5 No signage is proposed on the Senna Slip or Promenade facing elevation. PLANNING HISTORY
3.1 The Tower House building has been subject to a number of planning applications, the most relevant in this instance are PA 00/02015/D and PA 01/00201/D. - 3.2 PA 00/02015/D was approved for the erection of signage within the pediment above the single access door on the Senna Slip elevation of Tower House. This application was approved for the installation of single lettering signage within the pediment and single lettering signage on the glazing of the door. Both signage areas were considered to be discreet and acceptable. - 3.3 PA 01/00201/D was approved for the erection of signage above unit 2 and 8 of Tower House, one area of signage was located on the Castle Street elevation and occupying the existing advertisement framework on the building and the other located internally within the building. - 3.4 In addition to the above PA 01/01235/D was also granted full approval for the erection of several projecting signs on Castle Street elevation of the ground floor of Tower House, these hanging signs feature individual lettering of the businesses within the building and were considered to be well ordered and of appropriate style, position and size. PLANNING POLICY
4.1 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. - 4.2 The application site lies within the designated Douglas Promenade Conservation Area 2002 and in the wider area designated on the Douglas Local Plan 1998 as 'predominantly shopping'. - 4.3 In light of the above and given the nature of the application the following policies of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 are relevant in the assessment of the application: - 4.4 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".
4.5 Environment Policy 37 "As a general policy, advertisements within Conservation Areas will be permitted only if:
5.1 The Department of Infrastructure Highway Services stated that there was no highways interest on 28/04/2017.
5.2 Douglas Borough Council also stated no objections to the proposal on 10/04/2017. ASSESSMENT
6.1 The current planning application proposes two advertisement signs on the Castle Street elevation of Tower House above the existing display window and doors and one advertisement banner on the same elevation adjacent to the main public entrance. Each of the signs display the individual lettering of 'millets' and an associated green Millets logo. Both signs will be illuminated albeit two of them internally while the banner will be externally illuminated. - 6.2 All of the signs are located above the unit which they are associated with and therefore comply with General Policy 7. The essential assessment of each is whether or not they are considered to comply with Environment Policy 37 of the Strategic Plan. - 6.3 EP37 ultimately seeks to protect the Conservation Area by either its preservation or enhancement. The original drawings proposed signage on both the Promenade facing elevation and Senna Slip; these were also designed to be internally illuminated box fascias which are wholly controversial to EP 37 and significantly detrimental to the character of the Conservation Area. The signage on the promenade facing elevations was not considered acceptable and as such was excluded from the application by the agent. - 6.4 In addition to the above the agent amended the obtrusively large signage on Castle Street elevation which is now designed to be split in two. The two signs finished in a predominantly dark colour with only individual lettering and a logo is considered to be of an appropriate style and fitting within the surrounding streetscape and designated Conservation Area in line with ii) and iii) of EP 37. - 6.5 The proposed signage also includes the detailing of the internal illumination of the two signs and its slim profile design of 30mm. On the Castle Street elevation signage the illumination will be retained within the built up individual letters of 'millets' and logo only which is considered acceptable in terms of iv) of EP 37. However if the entire sign were to have been internally illuminated in accordance to the original drawings the sign would have been considered completely contrary to iv) EP 37. - 6.6 The proposed advertisement banner is considered to be of a suitable size, style and design, and therefore appropriate of the character of the Conservation Area. The externally illuminated trough light is not considered to impact the appearance of the street scene to warrant a concern, however the level of light emitted here is not detailed and as such may have implications on the public amenity of the area. This also may be a concern for the two internally illuminated fascia signs. - 6.7 Given the town centre location of the proposed signs there is a level of illumination that is to be expected especially within the main shopping high street of Douglas given that the streetlight run all through the night, however the illumination levels of the proposed lighting is not detailed and should this be greater than the illumination of the street lights could have consequential visual and amenity impact on residents or the public in the local area. - 6.8 While the application makes no reference to the hours of illumination, email correspondence from the agent advised that the need for illumination of the signs was during dusk hours of the opening times of the shop. The hours of illumination may be conditioned as such as to avoid any impacts on potential residential units in the nearby area especially during hours of darkness however it must be minded that the surrounding area is illuminated throughout the night by town centre street lighting. A condition relative to the opening hours of the business may be practicable. RECOMMENDATION
7.1 Overall the proposed signage on the Castle Street elevation is considered to be within the bounds of acceptability and in line with Environment Policy 37 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016. - 7.2 The application is recommended for approval.
PARTY STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
With effect from 1 June 2015, the Transfer of Planning & Building Control Functions Order 2015 amends the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 to give effect to the meaning of the word 'Department' to be the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture unless otherwise directed by that Order.
Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 19.06.2017 Conditions and Notes for Approval: C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
N 1. For clarity of the application NO APPROVAL is granted for signage on Senna Slip or the Promenade facing elevations.
The approval relates to drawing numbers 16469-1 and 16470-1 both date stamped and received 12/06/2017, and site location drawing date stamped and received 19/06/2017.
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 : 22.06.2017 Determining officer
Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management
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