DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 19/00491/D Applicant: Mrs Charlotte Sadler Proposal: Erection of signage (in association with 19/00492/CON) Site Address: 1 - 3 Castle Street Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 1LF Planning Officer: Mr Paul Visigah Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 03.06.2019 _________________________________________________________________

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.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This approval relates to drawing number 1816-112 A date stamped and received 18 April 2019. _______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons None _____________________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report THE SITE

1.1 The site is the curtilage of 1 and 3, Castle Street in the heart of Castletown. Number 1 sits on the corner of Castle Street and The Parade and is joined to the north western gable to 1, The Parade, a dwelling. 1, The Parade, like the application properties, is three storied but has a higher internal floor to ceiling height and a higher overall ridge level. This is a much grander property. The application properties are both three storied but number 1 is less high

• but wider than number 2. Both have a large area of glazed commercial shop front at ground floor level: number 1 having two such windows with a central pedestrian entrance and number 3 having one large window and a pedestrian door offset to the left. Both have sliding sash windows in the floors above with the same decorative mouldings around the top but number 1 has three sets of windows per floor whereas number 3 has only two.
• 1.2 The other properties in this part of Castle Street are of varied heights: number 5 is only two storeys and significantly lower than number 3 whereas numbers 7 and 9 are as tall as number 3.
• 1.3 The site lies within Castletown's Conservation Area and both properties are Registered (RBs 68 and 69). Both buildings were registered early in 1984 although there is no information on the file as to the reason for the Registration. 48 other buildings in this part of Castletown were registered around the same time and it is relevant that at the time, there was no Conservation Area status and no other way of protecting buildings which were considered to be of special historic, architectural or social interest.
• 1.4 Number 1 presents its gable end to The Parade with two windows each in the same positions on the first and second floor and two windows with a pedestrian door on the ground floor. A bus shelter sits between two trees within an extended paved area from the footway, directly in front.
• 1.5 Number 1 has a roof finished in natural slates: the roof of number 3 is finished in fibre cement tiles. Both sets of chimney stacks on or adjacent to number 1 have been rendered with sand/cement render, lead flashing and bellcast: that on the northern gable of number 3 is unpainted but rendered and recently renovated as with the others. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The application is seeking planning permission for erection of signage. The proposed signage will comprise 100mm high plastic or metal lettering; colour to be either black, gold or silver. The signage will read "CHARLOTTE SADLER OPTICIANS" to be installed above the architrave situated above the large ground floor shop front window of No.1. - 2.2 This application is accompanied by an identical application seeking Registered Building Consent for the same works. PLANNING POLICY

3.1 The site lies within an area designated as Mixed Use on the Area Plan for the South

1. The site lies within the Castletown Conservation Area (designated in 1990) and, as noted, both the application site and its adjoining neighbouring building is Registered. In fact, a number of buildings in the area, which sits nearby Castle Rushen, are also registered.

3.2 As such, the following Strategic Plan policies are applicable: Strategic Policy 4; "Proposals for development must: a) protect or enhance the fabric and setting of Ancient Monuments, Registered Buildings (1), Conservation Areas (2), buildings and structures within National heritage Areas and sites of archaeological interest; b) protect or enhance the landscape quality and nature conservation value or urban as well as rural areas but especially in respect to development adjacent to Areas of Special Scientific Interest and other designations; and c) not cause or lead to unacceptable environmental pollution or disturbance".

General Policy 6.: "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 material 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 to not cause a highway safety hazard".

Environment Policy 32 states: "Extensions or alterations to a Registered Building which would affect detrimentally its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest will not be permitted".

Environment Policy 35 states "Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character of appearance of the area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development". Environment Policy 37 reads as follows: "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."

3.3 It is considered that EP37 should carry much greater weight than GP6 though both are valuable to be considered together. - 3.4 Policy CA/6 on Advertisement Control states that: "All external advertisements affect not only the appearance of the building upon which they are displayed, but also the neighbourhood where the building is located. This will apply particularly to illuminated signage which is often formed from shiny, non-traditional materials and can result in an unsuitable and harsh appearance which detracts from the character of the building and a conservation area as a whole. The aesthetic quality of a building can be markedly affected by the installation of inappropriate external signage". - 3.5 Paragraph 7.31.1 of the Strategic Development Plan 2016. Some advertisements found and proposed in Conservation Areas are inappropriate and do not reflect the special character and designation of the area. The design of advertisements should respect the physical appearance of the premises in order to integrate readily with its surroundings. Traditional details, hanging signs and hand painted signage are most appropriate and will be encouraged. PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 The following previous planning applications are considered relevant in the assessment and determination of this application: - 4.2 Conversion of office (Class 4) to retail (Class 1) including the installation of replacement windows, doors and rainwater goods (in association with 19/00490/CON) PA 19/00489/GB - PENDING CONSIDERATION - 4.3 Erection of signage (in association with 19/00492/CON) PA 19/00491/D - PENDING CONSIDERATION

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 there is no highways interest in the letter dated 13 May 2019. - 5.2 Manx National Heritage has not commented on this application at the time of drafting this report, and so it is assumed that there are no objections to the application. - 5.3 Manx Utilities Authority has not commented on this application at the time of drafting this report, and so it is assumed that there are no objections to the application.

5.4 Castletown Commissioners have not commented on this application at the time of drafting this report, and so it is assumed that there are no objections to the application. ASSESSMENT

6.1 The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of this current planning application are the impacts of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the building and surrounding area. - 6.2 In respect of the proposed impact of the signage on the building and surrounding area, it is considered that the design and style of the signage is relatively modest and would be an acceptable form of advertising as it will not have an undue impact on the building. The elevation drawing accompanying the application indicates proposed area for signage with suggested lettering and this highlights the fact that the signage is designed to be easily integrated into the building façade without creating noticeable changes to the views assessed from public vistas. Therefore, the proposed signage is not considered to harm public or private amenity and has no impact on highway safety. The signage is considered to be appropriate to the building and could be removed without damage to the fabric of the building should the use change. - 6.3 It is considered that the proposal would not detract from those notable features as previously mentioned in the areas character appraisal and would not harm the character of the property or that of the street scene. CONCLUSION

7.1 Overall, it is concluded that the planning application is in accordance with Environment Policy 37 and General Policy 6 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, and is therefore supported. INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 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;
• (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. 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 : 06.06.2019 Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management

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