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25/00288/D
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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 25/00288/D Applicant : Ms Dee O'Malley Proposal : Installation of illuminated signage Site Address : IQ-EQ Victoria Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM2 4DF
Principal Planning Officer: Belinda Fettis Photo Taken :
Site Visit :
Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 24.06.2025 __
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.
This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The proposed advertisement accords with General Policies 2, 6 and 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.
Plans/Drawings/Information;
This decision relates to the following detail, plans and drawings received on the 17th of March 2025;
o Sign Information (size and location) o Written Statement o Supporting Information 1 (size specification) o Supporting information 2 (location) o Supporting information 3 (other specification) o Supporting information 4 (tree plan) __ Interested Person Status
It is recommended that the following organisations should NOT be given the Right to Appeal:
o Douglas Borough Council - No objection. o DOI Highway Services - No objection __
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25/00288/D
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Officer’s Report
1.0 THE SITE 1.1 The application site is the curtilage of Clerical Medical House, Victoria Road, Douglas which accommodates a two storey detached building. The site incorporates parking. The entrance to the building is off Victoria Street.
1.2 The site occupies a corner plot where Little Switzerland meets Victoria Road at a roundabout. The application relates to development in the corner of the plot.
1.3 North-east of the site there are residential dwellinghouses. North-west of the site is a retail park.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The application seeks installation of one back lit white LED illuminated halo sign with the same deign branding as existing signs (green and white).
2.2 The sign is shown to be 0.75m x 1.5m on two black metal poles resulting in the height of the sign being 1.7m from the ground.
2.3 The illuminated sign is proposed positioned within the boundary of the site, the north corner where the site abuts the junction of Victoria Road and Little Switzerland; facing the roundabout.
2.4 The proposal is supported by a written statement which includes details of the sign, consideration of the proximity to the Conservation Area, and wider assessment of the proximity to the retail park.
3.0 PLANNING POLICY
3.1 Site Specific 3.1.1 On the Area Plan for the East the application site is within an area designated for 'Employment'. Land to the North-west is designated for 'Mixed Use' and there exists a supermarket with associated parking and paraphernalia. To the North-East and North beyond the supermarket site the land is designated as 'Predominantly Residential' use.
3.1.2 The site is not within a Conservation Area but Little Switzerland is within the Little Switzerland Conservation Area.
3.2 Strategic Policy Taking account of the above, within the adopted Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, the following policies are considered relevant in the determination of this application:
3.3 General Policy 2; 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 it meets the relevant criteria of (a) to (n). In this case (b) (g) (i) (m) (n) are considered most relevant relating to character and highway safety.
3.4 General Policy 6; the display of external advertisements will be permitted on the site or building to which they relate provided they: o (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; o (b) are in keeping with and do not detract from the surrounding area; and o (c) are located so as not to cause a highway safety hazard.
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25/00288/D
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3.5 General Policy 7; the display of external advertisements on sites or buildings other than those to which they relate will not generally be permitted.
4.0 OTHER MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS
Legislation 4.1 Regulation 5 of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisement) Regulations 2013 states that the control of advertisement is only in the interest of amenity and public safety, in particular general characteristics of the locality, the safety of any person who may use the highway and potential obscuration of any traffic sign or signals.
5.0 PLANNING HISTORY
5.1 There are other previous planning applications associated with this site, however the only ones considered relevant are those relating to illuminated signs for the purpose of cumulative impact. 16/00502/D - Installation of both illuminated and non-illuminated signage. Permitted.
6.0
REPRESENTATIONS
6.1 Local Authority 6.1.1 Douglas Borough Council; no objection (13.05.2025).
6.2 Statutory bodies 6.2.1 Highway; no objection (11.04.2025); the sign position would not cause a highway safety or junction visibility problem.
6.2.2 Manx Utilities (Electricity); consulted (08.04.2025) but as of the date this report was compiled (24.06.2025) no response had been received. It is assumed that there are no objections to the application.
7.0 ASSESSMENT 7.1 The key considerations in the determination of the application are its impact on the site and the character of the streetscene in respect of its relationship with the Conservation Area and residential dwellinghouses, and whether the cumulative impact of illuminated signs is harmful.
Cumulative impact 7.2 Five signs were permitted in 2016, two of which were illuminated; internally lit LED signs; One above the main entrance door and one lower down on the right hand side of the entrance. The front entrance is on the southern side of the building therefore visually there is no harmful cumulative impact.
7.3 In respect of light pollution, the level of illumination (300-400cdm2) is considered to be relatively low for an outdoor light (similar to a very bright monitor screen). Given the proximity to the supermarket and associated lighting, this application is not considered to cause harmful impacts or result in cumulative harm.
Character of the street 7.4 Due to the location, scale and position, the angle of the sign and back drop of vegetation mean that the sign will be seen in limited views from the Conservation Area. The majority of street scene views will be on approaching the roundabout and as such from Victoria Road. In these views the sign will not appear out of context as the Conservation Area abuts the supermarket site.
Residential amenity
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25/00288/D
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7.5 Due to the position and orientation of the sign, and level of lighting, the sign will not harm residential amenity during the day or night.
8.0 CONCLUSION 8.1 Due to the design, position and orientation the sign will not detract from the surrounding area, cause a highway hazard or harm to residential amenity, or the setting of the Conservation Area in this location. The proposal accords with General Policy 2, 6 and 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 and is recommended for approval.
9.0 RIGHT TO APPEAL AND RIGHT TO GIVE EVIDENCE
9.1 The Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 sets out the process for determining planning applications (including appeals). It sets out a Right to Appeal (i.e. to submit an appeal against a planning decision) and a Right to Give Evidence at Appeals (i.e. to participate in an appeal if one is submitted).
9.2 Article A10 sets out that the right to appeal is available to: o applicant (in all cases); o a Local Authority; Government Department; Manx Utilities; and Manx National Heritage that submit a relevant objection; and o any other person who has made an objection that meets specified criteria.
9.3 Article 8(2)(a) requires that in determining an application, the Department must decide who has a right to appeal, in accordance with the criteria set out in article A10.
9.4 The Order automatically affords the Right to Give Evidence to the following (no determination is required): o any appellant or potential appellant (which includes the applicant); o the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, the Department of Infrastructure and the local authority for the area; o any other person who has submitted written representations (this can include other Government Departments and Local Authorities); and o in the case of a petition, a single representative.
9.5 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 the Right to Appeal. __
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: 26.06.2025
Determining Officer
Signed : J SINGLETON
Jason Singleton
Principal Planner
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