199939

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                                      24/00702/D                                     Page  1  of  4

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No. : 24/00702/D Applicant : Exceed Business Services Limited Proposal : Installation of non-illuminated vinyl signage Site Address : 11 - 12 St Pauls Square Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 1LE

Planning Officer: Vanessa Porter Photo Taken : Site Visit : Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 07.08.2024 __

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. There shall be no internal or external illumination of the signage other than what has been hereby approved.

Reason: for the avoidance of doubt and in the interest of the amenity of the neighbours.

C 3. In the event that the signage hereby approved is no longer required, the signage and window tints shall be removed within 6 months.

Reason: to avoid the accumulation of unwarranted signage in the interest of visual amenity.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The installation of the non-illuminated signage on the site complies with The Control of Advertisements Regulations 2013 and is also in accordance with General Policy 6 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, dated received on 24th June 2024; o Location plan o Proposed and Existing signage drawing o Existing photographs

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Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None __

Officer’s Report

THE APPLICATION SITE 1.1 The application site is within the curtilage of a 11-12 St Pauls Square, which was previously a bank and has received Planning permission under PA24/00476/B to convert into an office. The site specifically is situated to the Western side of St Pauls Square, which is a three sided square of shops to the ground floor and two stories of apartments above.

1.2 Due to the differentiation of shops to the ground floor, there is a wide range of different signage of which most is of the vinyl stick on type.

THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The current planning application seeks approval for the installation of window tints to all the front windows, with two windows and the main door showing information and signage of the proposed business.

PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 The site has been subject to several previous applications whilst being used as a bank, the most recent application for the conversion in relation to this application, is the most relevant.

3.2 PA24/00476/B - Conversion of former bank (class 1.2) to office (class 2.1) - Permitted.

PLANNING POLICY 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as "Town Centre" on the Ramsey Local Plan 1998, Map 2. The site is not situated within a Conservation Area but is situated within a Tidal Flood Zone - High Risk.

4.2 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.

4.3 Further to the above it is relevant to assess the application under General Policy 2 which sets out general development standards, General Policy 6 which sets out what is expected for the display of external advertisements and General policy 7 which sets out that the display of adverts must be in relation to the site they are situated upon.

REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 The following representations can be found in full online, below is a short summery;

5.2 Highway Services have considered the proposal and state, "No Highways Interest." (28.06.24)

5.3 Ramsey Town Commissioners have considered the application and state, No objections. (19.07.24)

ASSESSMENT

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6.1 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.

6.2 Further to this paragraph 6.6.2 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 makes it clear that "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". Paragraph 6.6.3 furthers on this stating that "within rural areas, advertisements can be disruptive features which affect adversely the appearance of the landscape and the countryside. Lighting can pollute the night sky, and may be contrary to nature conservation interests".

6.3 St Pauls Square as a whole has a range of signage from non- illuminated part and full coverage signage to illuminated signage, as you would expect from its town centre location. The proposed signage within this application, including the window tinting to the windows without the company signage is in keeping with the surrounding streetscene and should not have an impact on the character and appearance of the area. As the signage and window tinting seeks to advertise the business within a primary shopping frontage, within a small circle of shops, it is considered that the proposal is appropriate and would not be an uncommon feature when assessed against the character of the site and immediate vicinity.

6.4 Overall the signage, which will have the company logo and information on is considered acceptable in size and scale so as to be readable by passing public without causing a distraction or any new highways safety issues. It is considered that the design and siting of the sign is acceptable and would comply with General Policies 6 and 7 and would meets the general standards set out in The Control of Advertisements Regulations 2013.

CONCLUSION 7.1 Overall it is considered that the size, scale, siting and design of the signs are acceptable and relates to the retreat situated within the site, would have no adverse visual or amenity harm to the public or public safety. As such the application would accord with The Control of Advertisements Regulations 2013, as well as meeting with the principles of General Policies 6, 7 and 8 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016.

INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons: (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf); (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material; (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure; (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material.

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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 above who should be given Interested Person Status __

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 and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.

Decision Made : Permitted

Date: 08.08.2024

Determining officer Signed : C BALMER

Chris Balmer

Principal Planner

Customer note

This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/customers and archive records.