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24/00888/B Page 1 of 4
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 24/00888/B Applicant : Peel Centenary Centre Proposal : Installation of a sculpture and formation of new access ramp with curved painted metal screen and metal handrail Site Address : Peel Centenary Centre Atholl Street Peel IM5 1HQ
Planning Officer: Graham Northern Photo Taken : Site Visit : Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 15.10.2024 __
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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposal will have an acceptable visual impact and not cause unacceptable harm to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. The proposals therefore comply with General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and Section 18(4) of the Town and Country Planning Act (1999).
Plans/Drawings/Information;
This approval relates to the following drawings received 19.08.2024: 01 LOCATION PLAN 07A PROPOSED PART PLAN + ELEVATION 08A PROPOSED PLAN __
Right to Appeal None __
Officer’s Report 1.0 THE SITE
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1.1 The application site is the curtilage of the Centenary Centre, Atholl Street, Peel which is a community facility situated in the centre of Peel. The building is situated to the eastern side of the highway. 1.2 The Peel Centenary Centre opened in 2003 and is the Islands only arts and community centre run entirely by volunteers. The centre was formed by the conversion of the former Wesleyan Centenary Hall dating back to 1875. The centre hosts a range of concert performances, theatrical productions, lectures, exhibitions and workshops. 1.3 Atholl Street has a mixture of uses. The Centre is flanked by a large detached house (former surgery) and the gated driveway entrance to "Cathedral Isle of Man".
2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The proposal seek permission for the installation of a new sculpture by acclaimed local sculptor Robert Jones. The sculpture will measure 1 metre in width and 1.8 to 2.0 metres in height and would sit on a concrete base of 1 m diameter and 0.9 metres in height. 2.2 The sculpture would be located to the side of the entrance door, a circular ramp would run around the sculpture to give access to an area behind for bin storage and this would be screened by boundary treatment to hide the bins. A 0.9 m handrail would be incorporated in the ramp.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 The previous applications are not relevant in the assessment of this application.
4.0 PLANNING POLICY 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as "Mixed Use" on the Peel Local Plan 1989 Map. The property is not within a Flood Risk Zone but is within a Conservation Area.
4.2 PEEL LOCAL PLAN 4.3 With the Peel Local Plan section 9 refers to the Conservation Area and paragraph 9.4 part iii in particular references sensitivity of street furniture and making an improvement to preserve the Conservation Area - litter bins are also cited.
4.4 CONSERVATION AREA 4.5 The site is situated within a Conservation Area, as such Section 18(4) of the Town and Country Planning Act (1999) is the most relevant in the assessment of this application. Followed by paragraph 7.29.2 and Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan, which set out development in Conservation Areas will only be permitted where they preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the area.
4.6 ISLE OF MAN STRATEGIC PLAN 2016 4.7 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains the following policies that are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application:
4.8 General Policy 2 states: "Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development: (a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief; (b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them; (c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; (d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including water courses; (k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan;"
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4.9 Environment Policy 35 which 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. "Public art is referred to in the Strategic Plan as follows:
4.10 Public Art 4.11 Paragraph 6.7.1 states Our environment is improved by the provision of works of art in public places, particularly if that art reflects the cultural traditions or history of a particular area.
4.12 Paragraph 6.7.2 states The Department will support the inclusion of such artwork in development proposals, and will expect such inclusion within major proposals. Artwork may take the form of public sculpture, such as the recently erected statues of T. E. Brown and Sir William Hillary in Douglas, or may be incorporated into features such as friezes, railings or landscaping. Commissions to locally based artists would be particularly welcome.
General Policy 9: In major development proposals, there should be included provision for artwork that is accessible to the public.
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only. 5.1 Highways 27.08.24 - Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking. 5.2 Peel Commissioners were consulted but at the time of writing the report no comments had been made and a such it was deemed they raised no objections
6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The site is located within the Peel Conservation Area and the building and its curtilage are a community facility and building of community importance. The Peel Local Plan and Strategic Plan both encourage improvement to street furniture and associated facilities and the strategic plan at 6.7 also strongly encourages public art. The proposals seek to improve a small none used area to the side of the building entrance and create an artistic sculpture feature to draw attention to it. The proposals are considered entirely in keeping with the buildings use.
6.2 The issues to consider in the assessment of the application are relating to; the potential impacts upon the street scene and Conservation Area and impact on neighbouring amenity. As the above are all interlinked, they will be considered as one within this report, rather than being separated in to different categories.
6.3 Conservation Area/ Visual impact 6.4 In terms of the visual impact of the sculpture there are no concerns. The structure would fit within the site and complement the existing community use very well and would not have a significant adverse visual impact upon the street scene or the Peel Conservation Area therefore comply with EP 35 and GP2. Essentially the sculpture is very modest in size and the proposals put forward mean the sculpture forms a feature of the street furniture i.e. a ramp and bin store which would sit behind. The proposals are considered to preserve and enhance the Conservation area and support the strategic plan to encourage public art.
6.5 Impact on Amenity 6.6 The proposed sculpture is located to the side of the doorway and doesn't project forward of it and will appear subservient given the massing of the main entrance. The neighbouring building No 22 has a parking space and side gate nearest to the side boundary with the first ground floor window to the building set further inside. It is not considered that the scale of the sculpture, ramp or screening would result in any significant detrimental impact
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on the neighbouring building and as such the proposals are considered to comply with policy GP2.
7.0 Conclusion 7.1 The proposed works are of modest scale with the sculpture no more than 2 metres in height on a 0.9 metre concrete plinth. Its position is to the side of the main entrance and as such does not project forward of the entrance and is thereby subservient too it. The proposals seek to create a bin storage solution with ramp and screen which wrap around a sculpture feature. The Strategic plan seeks to promote public art and also welcomes high quality design in terms of street furniture and bin storage. Additionally the building is considered a key community asset and the incorporation of public art feature goes well with the buildings use.
7.2 The proposals are not considered to result in harm to the conservation area and would be considered of benefit to it, in addition the proposals are not considered to harm amenity and as such comply with policies EP35 and GP2 of the strategic plan.
8.0 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.
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. 8.3 The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture is responsible for the determination of planning applications. As a result, where officers within the Department make comments in a professional capacity they cannot 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 and/or rights to appeal.
Decision Made : Permitted
Date: 17.10.2024
Determining Officer
Signed : J SINGLETON
Jason Singleton
Principal Planner
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