DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 19/00531/CON Applicant: Reverend Josephine Dudley Proposal: Registered Building consent for the installation of non- illuminated signage (in association with 19/00530/D) Registered Building Nos. 85 Site Address: Christ Church Church Hill Laxey Isle Of Man IM4 7AX Planning Officer: Mr Nick Salt Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 13.06.2019 _________________________________________________________________

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions C 1. The works hereby granted registered building consent shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this consent.

Reason: To comply with paragraph 2(2)(a) of schedule 3 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented registered building consents.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on 7th May 2019:

• o Location Plan
• o Site Plan
• o Photograph of existing
• o New Sign Sheet B
• o New Sign details Sheet C1
• o New signage specifications C2
• o Signage elevation drawing as proposed C3 _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site is Laxey Christ Church, adjacent to the Laxey MER station. The church is a mid-19th century small stone Registered Building (No.85) with a slate roof and traditional lead windows. At present there is a green welcome sign between a window and north elevation edge of the church, which is within Laxey Conservation Area and partly screened by mature trees.

2.0 PROPOSAL - 2.1 The application seeks approval for the installation of a replacement 2000mm x 1130mm non illuminated yellow sign on the side of the church north elevation. The sign would feature some details regarding the heritage of the church, with contents and purpose largely the same. The main difference is that the new signage would cover roughly twice the surface area of the existing.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 There have been Registered Building applications and planning applications for this site, including an application for express consent for the erection of a notice board in the church grounds (12/00283/D), none are particularly relevant to this application.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site is zoned within the Laxey and Lonan Local Plan as Civic, Cultural or other Special Use - Worship. It is within Laxey Conservation Area, and is a Registered Building (no.85). - 4.2 General Policy 6 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 is relevant and 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."

4.3 Environment Policy 37 is concerned with advertisements in conservation areas: "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."

4.4 Conservation Areas of Planning Policy Statement 1/01 (Policy and Guidance Notes for the Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man):

• 4.4.1 RB/3 - General criteria applied in considering registered building applications

"The issues that are generally relevant to the consideration of all registered building applications are:-

• o The importance of the building, its intrinsic architectural and historic interest and rarity, relative to the Island as a whole and within the local context;
• o The particular physical features of the building (which may include its design, plan, materials or location) which justify its inclusion in the register; descriptions annexed to the entry in the register may draw attention to features
• of particular interest or value, but they are not exhaustive and other features of

• importance, (e.g. Interiors, murals, hidden fireplaces) may come to light after the building's entry in the register;
• o The building's setting and its contribution to the local scene, which may be very important, e.g. Where it forms an element in a group, park, garden or
• other townscape or landscape, or where it shares particular architectural forms or details with other buildings nearby (including other registered buildings)."

- 4.4.2 POLICY RB/5 - ALTERATIONS AND EXTENSIONS

"In considering whether to grant planning approval for development which affects a registered building or its setting and in considering whether to grant registered building consent for any works, the Department shall have special regard to the desirability of preserving the building or its setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses.

Registered building consent is required for the building's alteration in any way which would affect its special architectural or historic character. There will be a general presumption against alteration or extension of registered buildings, except where a convincing case can be made, against the criteria set out in this section, for such proposals.

Applicants for registered building consent for alteration or extension to a registered building must be able to justify their proposals. They will be required to show why the works which would affect the character of the registered building are desirable or necessary and they should provide full information to enable the Department to assess the likely impact of their proposals on the special architectural or historic interest of the building and on its setting. Where registered buildings are the subject of successive applications for alteration or extension, consideration will also be given to the cumulative affect upon the building's special interest as a result of several minor works which may individually seem of little consequence."

- 4.4.3 POLICY RB/10 - ECCLESIASTICAL BUILDINGS

"The same provisions apply for registered buildings which fall within this category, as apply elsewhere. Contrary to the situation which prevails elsewhere, no exemption exists with respect to ecclesiastical buildings in the Isle of Man. In considering applications for registered building consent for alteration or extension to buildings in this category, it is acknowledged that factors such as the size and requirements of modern congregations may differ considerably from when the church was originally constructed. Applicants considering carrying out alterations, extensions or improvements to ecclesiastical buildings which are registered, should consider the extent to which their proposals will affect the particular historic merit or architectural character of the building in question. An application is less likely to succeed if either of these qualities is markedly affected. It must also be remembered that in addition to the requirement for registered building consent, it will usually be necessary to obtain the formal consent of the appropriate church authority: early dialogue can often assist in deciding upon the most appropriate way to progress such works"

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Garff Commissioners have no objection to the application (13.06.2019).

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The issue to be considered in the assessment of this application is the impact of the proposed signage on the Registered Building (church).

6.2 The impact on the building itself is likely to be limited only to visual impacts, and whether or not the new signage would preserve or enhance the special character and appearance of the Registered Building. Visually, the difference between the existing and proposed signage is negligible. Both serve as signs to welcome visitors into the church dating from 1856. The proposed signage, whilst larger than the existing, is not of a form or design which would appear out of place or harmful in its location or when read within the context of the church building itself. - 6.3 It is not considered that the signage would be of a type or in such a position as to cause damage to the building both when installed, and if necessary in future, removed

7.0 CONCLUSION - 7.1 This Registered Building consent proposal accords with the Strategic Plan and Planning Policy Statement 1/01 - Guide to the Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Isle of Man, it is recommended for approval.

8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Registered Buildings) Regulations 2013, the following are automatically interested persons:

• o The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent;
• o The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application;
• o Manx National Heritage, and
• o The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

8.2 In addition to those above, the Regulation 9(3) requires the Department to decide which persons (if any) who have made representations with respect to the application, should be treated as having sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application.

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 : 19.06.2019 Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management

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