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21/00101/D Page 1 of 5
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 21/00101/D Applicant : V & V Food And Hospitality Proposal : Installation of illuminated signage Site Address : Court Row Chambers Court Row Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 1AA
Planning Officer: Mrs Vanessa Porter Photo Taken :
Site Visit :
Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 29.04.2021 __
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 proposal is considered to comply with the Advertisement Regulations 2013 and General Polices 2, 6, 7 and Environment Policy 37 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.
Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received on 5th February 2021: o Drawing No. 002. o Drawing No. 100 __
Interested Person Status - Additional Persons
It is recommended that the owners/occupiers of the following properties should not be given Interested Person Status as they are not considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings and are not mentioned in Article 4(2):
12 Starkey Close, Ramsey as they do not satisfy all of the requirements of paragraph 2 of the Department's Operational Policy on Interested Person Status.
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21/00101/D Page 2 of 5
It is considered that the following Government Department should be afforded Interested Person Status as they have raised material consideration in their representations in accordance with Article 4(2):
DOI Flood Risk Management Division __
Officer’s Report
THE APPLICATION SITE 1.1 The application site is Court Row Chambers, Court Row, Ramsey which is situated upon a corner plot where Court Row meets Water Street in the middle of the main town centre. Facing the frontage of the building is the War memorial gardens.
1.2 The main front elevation of the site is finished in stucco-style render and has neo- renaissance influences in some of its details, including in particular the windows and cornice at first floor level.
1.3 The site itself has had several uses from a Post Office to restaurant all of which have had their own signage. There are several types of signage within the area from hand painted boarding to acrylic signs.
THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The current planning application seeks approval to erect both illuminated and non illuminated signage to the front of the property.
2.2 Firstly to the middle of the front elevation is a large proposed sign measuring 7.930m by 0.385m and is to have the wording "Chingan's Asian Kitchen" written to the centre. The signage is to be 5mm acrylic board and will be mounted by hidden rod and locator attachments.
2.3 Also proposed to the doorway situated to the south of the front elevation are several signs. Two signs are proposed to be installed to both of the doorway reveals of the doorway entrance measuring 2.820m by 0.430m with the wording "Asian Kitchen" on. They are to be constructed out of 5mm acrylic board and mounted by hidden rod and locator attachments.
2.4 Above the main entrance doorway is a sign measuring 1.610m by 0.610m which is to have the wording "Chingan's." The sign is to be constructed out of 5mm acrylic board and mounted via hidden rod and locator attachments. The sign is to have a 1.610m by 0.075 black powder coated aluminium LED strip lighting attached above.
PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 The application site has had several different applications of which the most relevant are 13/00787/B and 13/01370/D.
3.2 PA13/00787/B was for the "Conversion of ground floor former post office area to a restaurant including the installation of a flue" and was Permitted.
3.3 PA13/01370/D was for the "Erection of illuminated signage and menu board" which was initially refused and then approved at Appeal.
PLANNING POLICY 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as Mixed Use, Town Centre on the Ramsey Local Plan 1998, Map 2. The property is within a Conservation Area but not a flood zone.
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4.2 The Control of Advertisements Regulations 2013 makes 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 In addition to The Control of Advertisements Regulations 2013 we may also consider General Policies 2, 6, 7 and Environment Policy 37 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 which state:
4.4 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: (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;
4.5 General Policy 6 state: "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."
4.6 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."
4.7 Environment Policy 37 states: As a general policy, advertisements within Conservation Areas will be permitted only if: i) the proposal preserves or enhances the Conservation Area; ii) the signage is in a style appropriate to the character of the area; iii) traditional materials and finishes are used and glossy and highly reflective materials are excluded from proposals; and iv) internally illuminated box fascia and projecting box signs are excluded from the proposals.
REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Highway Services have considered the proposal and state the following, "After reviewing this Application, Highway Services find it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety or network efficiency and/or parking. The applicant is advised that a licence may be necessary for the positioning of equipment and materials in the highway." (10.03.21)
5.2 Ramsey Town Commissioners have considered the proposal and have no objection (22.03.21).
5.3 DOI Flood Risk Management Division have considered the proposal and have "No Flood Risk Management Interest." (29.03.21)
5.4 The owner/occupier of 12 Starkey Close, Ramsey have considered the application the application and state, "In my opinion the proposed illuminated sign, indeed any illuminated sign, is inappropriate on the elevation of this handsome building, and should not be permitted. Any approval would set an unfortunate precedent for Parliament Street and its environs." (26.02.21)
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ASSESSMENT 6.1 The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are the impact of the proposed signage on the Conservation Area, the character of the area, the existing building and the overall streetscene.
6.2 The Department has a duty to determine whether such proposals are in keeping with not only the individual building, but the special character and quality of the area as a whole. With this in mind it is relevant to consider Environment Policy 35 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016. This policy indicates that development within Conservation Areas will only be permitted if they would preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the area and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development.
6.3 There are two aspects of this application firstly the main signage above the windows and the door surround signage.
6.4 The proposed signage above the main windows is suitable for the area proposed, as stated in part 1 of this report there is a range of signage within the immediate area which include but isn't limited to composite signage, handpainted signage and raised signage. The proposed signage here is modest in appearance without affecting the property.
6.5 When looking at the proposed signage around the doorway, this signage was first proposed in 2013 under PA13/01370/D, whilst the colours and writing was different the basis was the same. The planning officer of the above application stated, "6.6 It is considered that the three signs proposed to surround the entrance door, by failing to use traditional materials and by failing to exclude glossy or reflective surfaces, are not of a form appropriate to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area and, as such fail to comply with Environment Policy 37. It is considered that this is a substantive reason for withholding advertising consent."
6.6 The application was refused on this basis and went to appeal, where the inspector stated the following regarding the doorway signage, "The signs at the entrance door are made of a composite self-coloured plastic material. They employ relatively forceful and bright colours of red, white and blue. However, having regard to many of the other commercial signs in the vicinity, these signs at the doorway are comparatively small in area. They are set within an alcove/foyer, which is inset behind the main face of the front wall of the building. Taking into account also that the signs to the sides of the entrance face sideways, and that only the sign above the doorway faces forwards, this group of 3 signs is not unduly prominent within the streetscene. On the contrary, these signs are relatively recessive in appearance within that scene."
6.7 The inspector then went on to state, "Although the composite material is non-traditional, and it has a glossy finish, it is not a "highly reflective" material in the terms of criterion iii) of Environment Policy 37. Nevertheless, there is clearly some conflict with the expectations of that part of this policy. However, given the wide variety of existing signage within the surrounding area, including some larger and more prominent signs in similar materials and in colours of comparable visual effect, the signs are in my view in a style appropriate to the character of the area, as is expected by criterion ii) of Environment Policy 37. As the existing signage in the vicinity is an integral component of the character and appearance of the Conservation Area, I am also of the view that the signage in the appeal scheme serves to preserve the Conservation Area, in accordance with the expectation of criterion i) of the Environment Policy 37. I have concluded that the elements of signage alongside and above the entrance doorway are in broad compliance with Environment Policy 37, and that there are no grounds in terms of the interests of amenity to justify refusing express consent for them."
6.8 The proposed signage in the doorway reveals and above the doorway whilst slightly larger than what was proposed in the 2013 application would still be acceptable. The design is
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relatively simple and muted compared to the previously approved application and as such the impact from the signage would be minimal.
6.9 The proposed illumination above the door signage is modest for the area and as such it is not considered to cause a detrimental impact to public or private amenity given the existing level of lighting present within Court Row and the surrounding area from public lighting and other shop illuminations.
CONCLUSION 7.1 For the above reasons the proposal is considered to comply with the Advertisement Regulations 2013 and General Polices 2, 6, 7 and Environment Policy 37 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.
INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 2013 (As Amended), the following persons are automatically interested persons: o The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent; o Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material; o The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated. o the Highways, Ports and Railways divisions of the Department of Infrastructure.
8.2 The decision maker must determine: o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than those explicitly listed above) 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: 30.04.2021
Determining officer
Signed : C BALMER
Chris Balmer
Principal Planner
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