Officer Report

Application No.: 14/01208/D Applicant: Food Programme Delivery Orchid Group Proposal: Erection of illuminated advertising signage Site Address: Co-op Store 29 - 31 Main Road Onchan Isle of Man IM3 1AP Case Officer : Miss Melissa McKnight Photo Taken: 04.11.2014 Site Visit: 04.11.2014 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site is the curtilage of the Co-operative Store which is located on the north western side of the Main Road in Onchan. The site is a corner plot and sits on the junction with Avondale Road. - 1.2 Elm Tree House adjoins the application building on the north eastern elevation and The Manx Arms sits opposite the application site to the south west.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Approval is sought for the erection of new signage in replace of the existing signage that would be illuminated by means of a trough light and the installation of a new projecting sign. - 2.2 The signage would be an aluminium tray panel with the letters to be step inlaid Opal acrylic with translucent. The signage would have a length of 11.3 metres, height of 0.6 metres and depth of 75mm. The lettering would be no higher than 0.4 metres and would project 2mm. The projection sign would project 600mm from the front elevation, have a height of 600mm and width of 150mm. The sign would be erected 3.7 metres above ground level. The existing projecting sign is also sited 3.7 metres above ground level and has the same dimensions as the proposed albeit being 0.05mm taller. - 2.3 The signs would be illuminated with white LED trough lights. The trough light above the opening hours section of the sign would have a length of 4 metres and the trough light above the store name section would have a length of 4.3 metres. Both trough lights would project 200mm from the front elevation of the building.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 The application site has been the subject of four previous planning applications that related to signage and the shop front, all of which were granted planning approval and have been listed below:

PA 14/01205/B: Installation of additional roof mounted condenser unit, shop front alterations and new steps to rear loading platform.

PA 08/00520/D: Installation of illuminated signage. PA 01/00277/D: Erection of shop signs. PA 96/01489/B: New shop front and corporate signage to retail outlet.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is within an area zoned as Mixed Use: Residential, Office, Retail under the Onchan Local Plan 2000. - 4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains three policies that are considered specifically relevant to the assessment of this current planning application:

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; (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality; (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways.

• General Policy 6 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."

• General Policy 7 states: "Within our towns and villages, the display of external advertisements on sites or buildings other than those to which they relate will not generally be permitted."

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Onchan District Commissioners have no objection to the current planning application (12/11/2014).

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The key issues to consider in the assessment of this application are the impacts of the proposed signage on the appearance of the existing building, street scene of Main Road and highway safety. - 6.2 The existing signage on the front elevation is considered dated and with the rejuvenation of the shop front that was approved under PA 14/01205/B, the new proposed signage would upgrade and lift the appearance of the building as viewed within the street scene in combination with the overall improvement of the shop front.

6.3 The new signage is of a high quality and relates well to the building and will assist in the modern and rejuvenated appearance of the overall building; particularly the front elevation. The lighting of the projecting sign via two individual trough lights is judged to be reasonably elegant and stylish as opposed to internally illuminated signage. - 6.4 The proposed form of lighting is not that dissimilar to what is installed on the Manx Arms. The building is located on the main road and so shop and street illumination is not uncommon. The illuminating of the sign would be away from main first floor residential properties and would not appear obtrusive in this area. - 6.5 The projecting sign would directly front the highway and would be erected just less than 3.7 metres above the ground level. Given the existing lighting within the immediate locality, and height of the projecting sign, the proposal is not considered that to cause a highway hazard. Highway services have made no representation regarding the proposal. - 6.6 Overall, the new signage on the front elevation and side elevation is considered to enhance the appearance of the main building within the street scene of Main Road, Onchan.

7.0 RECOMMENDATION - 7.1 Overall it is concluded that the planning application accords to the provisions of General Policy 2, 6 and 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 and as such it is recommended for approval.

8.0 PARTY STATUS - 8.1 In line with regulation 11(4) of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 2013, the following Persons are considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application: the applicant or, if there is one, the applicant's agent; the owner and occupier of the land the subject of the application; Highway Services, and the Local Authority in whose district the land the subject of the application sits.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision: Permitted

Date of Recommendation:

05.01.2015

Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

C : Conditions for approval

• N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal
• O : Notes attached to refusals

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 approval relates to Location Plan and 4 x Photographs showing the application building date stamped as received on 21st October 2014 and Dwg No: 1/2 and 2/2 both date stamped as received on 10th December 2014.

I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control /Head of Development Management/ Senior Planning Officer.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 5th January 2015 Determining officer (delete as appropriate) Signed :…………………………………….. Chris Balmer Senior Planning Officer Signed :…………………………………….. Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer Signed : Michael Gallagher Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control Signed :…………………………………….. Jennifer Chance Head of Development Management