Officer Report

Application No.: 15/00935/D Applicant: Vauxhall Eurocars Proposal: Erection of illuminated advertising signage Site Address: Vauxhall Eurocars Peel Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 5ED Case Officer : Miss Abigail Morgan Site Visit: 08.09.2015 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The site represents the curtilage of the Eurocars dealership situated on the western side of Peel Road just to the north of Pulrose Bridge. The site accommodates a number of buildings - two workshops and two indoor showrooms and a large area of parking and external car display.

2.0 PLANNING STATUS - 2.1 The site lies within a wider area of Light Industrial use on the Douglas Local Plan of 1998, stretching from Hills Meadow to the fire headquarters. - 2.2 Given the nature of the application it is appropriate to consider General Policy 6 and General Policy 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan (20th June 2007).

• General Policy 6 states the following: "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 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 the following: "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."

3.0 THE PROPOSAL - 3.1 Proposed here is the installation of 2 new Vauxhall signage on the building, the two existing signs are to be removed.

3.2 Sign 1 - Service and Parts Projection sign: aluminium extrusion frame with inset ACM panel with day-night acrylic face Vauxhall test and logo and red acrylic face Service and Parts text. Height 1m x width 0.710m x depth 0.120m, height above ground 2.7m. - 3.3 Sign 2 - wall mounted service and parts landscape sign. Aluminium extrusion frame with inset ACM panel with day/night face Vauxhall text logo and red acrylic face Service & Parts & Eurocars text. H 0.960m x W 1.695m x D 0.065m, height above ground 2.7m. - 3.4 The colours used on the signs red and silver for Vauxhall logo and red and grey/white for text, background colour for both is silver. Both signs are to be internally illuminated, illuminating text and logo only.

4.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 4.1 The site has been the subject of a number of applications for alterations to the buildings and for the installation of signage, none of which is particularly relevant to this application.

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 DOI Highways do not object to the application. 19.08.2015.

6.0 ASSSESSMENT - 6.1 The signage is generally upgrading and modernising what is already on the site. Whilst there is to be internal illumination, some of the existing signs are already illuminated and there are other illuminated signs along Peel Road - McDonald's for example. The proposed view is illustrative and not to scale. - 6.2 The signs would be in keeping with the building and would not detract from the surrounding area, as there are signs on the other businesses in the immediate vicinity. As the signs are located on the building, it is considered that the proposed adverts will not cause a highway safety issue. Furthermore, the site being zoned as 'Light Industrial Use' in the Douglas Local Plan 1998 is considered not to adversely affect the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality. DOI Highways have raised no objection to the proposed adverts. - 6.3 Some conditions are proposed to ensuring that the light source is static, however it is not considered necessary to control the hours of illumination in this location as it is designated as Light Industrial and the nearest residential properties are at Mile End Court which is approximately 80metres way and those along Ballakermeen Drive are screened by an extensive very mature tree line. - 6.4 As a result it is concluded that the application accords to the provisions set out in the Strategic Plan, in particular General Policy 6 and 7and as such the application is recommended for approval.

7.0 RECOMMENDATION - 7.1 It is recommended that the application be approved subject to conditions.

8.0 PARTY STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 2013, 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) Persons to whom notice has been given under regulation 10(3)(a)(i)
• (d) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material;
• (e) The Highways Division of the Department;
• (f) The Ports Division of the Department;
• (g) The operator of the railway or tramway; and
• (h) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture Fisheries are part of the same Department as is the planning authority and as such should not be afforded interested person status under the Order.

"With effect from 1 June 2015, the Transfer of Planning & Building Control Functions Order 2015 amends the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 to give effect to the meaning of the word 'Department' to be the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture unless otherwise directed by that Order"

Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 15.09.2015 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 advertisements hereby granted consent shall not be installed or erected until the existing signs, together with all means of support, as identified in the Design Document have been removed from the property in their entirety and any damage incurred by the removal made good. Reason: To safeguard the character and appearance of the area.

This approval relates to Location Plan, Site Plan, Planning Statement and Design Documentall date stamped as received on 13 August 2015.

I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to a Senior Planning Officer.

Decision Made : Permitted Date; 15.09.2015

Determining officer

Signed :……………………….. Chris Balmer Senior Planning Officer

Signed :………S CORLETT….. Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer