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17/01159/B Page 1 of 3
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 17/01159/B Applicant : Barclays Bank PLC Proposal : Installation of lightning rod and associated down tape Site Address : Barclays House Victoria Street Douglas Isle of Man IM1 2LE
Case Officer : Mr Chris Balmer Photo Taken :
Site Visit :
Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 11.12.2017 __
Conditions and Notes for Approval
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.
Reason: To comply with article 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
Plans/Drawings/Information:
This approval relates to the submitted documents and drawing C/17/1643-E01 all received on 7th November 2017.
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Interested Person Status - Additional Persons
None __
Officer’s Report
1.0 THE SITE 1.1 This application relates to the Barclays Bank office building on the corner of Victoria Street and Thomas Street in Douglas. The building is a modern office structure on a prominent corner site, with frontages to both Thomas Street and Victoria Street.
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17/01159/B Page 2 of 3
2.0 PROPOSAL 2.1 The application seeks approval for the installation of lightning rod and associated down tape. The lightning rod would be posited attached to the existing metal railings already installed on te roof of the building. The rod would have a height of 2.6m. Works also include the installation of two metal taping down the rear elevation of the building to ground level.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 There are a number of previous planning applications, mostly relating to external alterations to the main building and signage; however, none of which are considered significant in the assessment and determination of this application.
4.0 PLANNING POLICIES 4.1 The application site is located within an area designated as Predominantly Offices on the Douglas Local Plan Order 1998, Map No. 1 (Central Area). The site is within Douglas (Athol Street/Victoria Street) Conservation Area.
4.2 The relevant planning policy from the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 is:
4.3 Environment Policy 35 states: "Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development."
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 DOI highways do not oppose the proposal (09.11.2017).
5.2 Douglas Corporation has raised no objection (21.11.2017).
6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 Due to the nature of the proposal and the land use zoning of the site, the main issue to consider is the impact on the Douglas (Athol Street/Victoria Street) Conservation Area.
6.2 The building associated with the car park is a modern office structure within a Conservation Area which is characterised by a predominantly Victorian range of properties. In the Character Appraisal for Athol Street and Victoria Street Conservation Area, it states that Barclays House is "A modern, commercial and relatively plain building despite the lavish use of granite facings. Its size disturbs the rhythm of the street." It is therefore considered that the building itself does not contribute positively to the character of the street scene.
6.3 The works are contained solely to the rear elevation which is not the primary elevation in the context of the Conservation Area. That being said the works are rather modest and would likely go unnoticeable by passing members of the public given the existing structures on and attached to the building and given the size of the proposals.
6.3 The main test for development adjacent to a Conservation Area is whether the proposal will detrimentally affect important views into and out of the Conservation Area. Given the above reasons it is considered that the proposals does not detrimentally affect views in or out of the Conservation Area.
7.0 CONCLUSION 7.1 On the basis of the above it is recommended that the application be approved.
8.0 INTERESTED PARTY 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;
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(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. __
I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Senior Planning Officer in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.
Decision Made : Permitted
Date: 14.12.2017
Determining officer
Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett
Senior Planning Officer
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