DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 19/01112/D Applicant: Malew Parish Commissioners Proposal: Installation of company directional signage Site Address: Balthane Industrial Estate Balthane Road Balthane Ballasalla Isle Of Man Planning Officer: Mr Paul Visigah Photo Taken: 06.11.2019 Site Visit: 06.11.2019 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 02.12.2019 _________________________________________________________________

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.
• C 2. The signage may be used only to display directional information regarding businesses and facilities within Balthane Industrial Estate. Reason: to clarify the extent of the approval.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on 3 October 2019:

• o Photos of Unit with proposed sign
• o Proposed Drawings
• o Location Plan
• o Site plan
• o Photographs _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report SITE

1.1 The application site is within a plot of land adjacent to Balthane Farm, which is situated to the south-western side of Balthane Road, Balthane Industrial Estate, Ballasalla. The site to the rear houses three industrial units which appear to be in use. To the northwest of the site is the Nissan Auto Garage, while Balthane house is situated northeast of the site. PROPOSAL - 2.1 The proposal seeks planning approval for the installation of company directional signage. The signage would be approximately 3.5m wide, 1.45m in height and approximately 0.40m deep, and would be on a base 750mm high. The framework for the signage would be clad with various 3mm Alt folded panels. The applicant has stated that the information sign wold give the position of companies on the industrial estate. PLANNING POLICY - 3.1 The Area Plan for the South (Map 4 Ballasalla) designates the site area as zoned for Industrial use.

3.2 Is assessing this planning application, it is important to consider the proposal against the policies set out in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, particularly the following:

3.3 General Policy 6 reads as follows: "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."

3.4 Paragraph 6.6.2 of the Strategic Plan will also serve as a guide in the determination of the application.

3.4.1 Paragraph 6.6.2 'Within our towns and villages, well designed and sensitively sited advertisements can contribute positively to the character of a building or area, and can be of help to the general public. However, advertisements which are too bright, overlarge or poorly sited may endanger safety by distracting or confusing highway users and may, both individually and cumulatively, detract from amenity by being intrusive, by introducing clutter and visual confusion or by masking features of interest or attraction.'

3.5 The Control of Advertisements Regulations 2013 is another policy that will be valuable in the assessment of this application since it makes clear the considerations which can be applied to applications made in the interests of amenity and public safety.

• 3.5.1 Section 5.1 states that:

(1) The Department must exercise its powers under these Regulations only in the interests of amenity and public safety, taking account of any material factors, and in particular a) in the case of amenity, the general characteristics of the locality, including the presence of any feature of historic, architectural, cultural or similar interest, disregarding, if they think fit, any advertisement being displayed there; (b) In the case of public safety —

• (i) the safety of any person who may use any road, railway, tramway, harbour or aerodrome; and
• (ii) whether any display of advertisements is likely to obscure or hinder the ready interpretation of, any traffic sign, railway or tramway signal or aid to navigation by water or air.

REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only.

5.1 The Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division although consulted on 18 October 2019, has not commented on this application at the time of drafting this report.

5.2 Malew Parish Commissioners have stated that they have no objection to the application in a letter dated 6 November 2019.

ASSESSMENT

6.1 The application site is in an area zoned as 'Industrial' identified on the Southern Area Plan 2013, and as such the signage would be vital in the interpretation of the industrial estate. The proposed signage would be associated with the industrial units and therefore the proposed development is acceptable in principle. The main issues to consider in the assessment of the application are the design and material of the signage, the impact to the surrounding area, and impact to highways safety.

6.2 The proposed signage would be of a high quality in terms of the design and the use of materials. The signage would be in keeping with recently approved signage at the Spring Valley Industrial Estate, Cooil Road, Douglas (PA 12/00683/D). Besides, the signage would be fairly modest in size and would respect the surrounding area. - 6.3 Likewise, it is also noted that the proposed signage would be sited so as to contribute to highways movements around the industrial estate. Besides, the signage is not illuminated and it would be set back a sufficient distance from the edge of the highway as to ensure no obstructions to highway visibility and in ensuring that no new highway safety issues will occur as a result of the proposal. As such, it is considered that the proposed would not present any risks to highway safety and would help direct visitors to the correct industrial units within the industrial estate.

CONCLUSION

7.1 The proposal is in keeping with the land-use designation in the Area Plan for the South, and complies with Strategic Policy and is therefore acceptable. INTERESTED PERSONS 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;
• (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.

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

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 03.12.2019 Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Principal Planner

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