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21/00990/D Page 1 of 4
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 21/00990/D Applicant : Blackhorse Offshore Limited Proposal : Installation of illuminated signage Site Address : Ground Floor Villiers House 2 Victoria Street Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 2LN
Planning Officer: Mrs Vanessa Porter Photo Taken :
Site Visit :
Expected Decision Level :
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 01.10.2021 __
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 35 & 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 9th August 2021: o Location Plan o Illuminated Signage Cross Section. o Photo showing proposed signage o Proposed Loch Promenade Elevation __
Interested Person Status - Additional Persons
None __
Officer’s Report
THE APPLICATION SITE
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21/00990/D Page 2 of 4
1.1 The application site is within the curtilage of Villiers Building which is a five storey building that has had a range of offices since it's initial build. The site is situated to the North of Victoria Street on the corner where Victoria Street meets Loch Promenade.
1.2 The specific part of Villiers Buildings which is part of this application is the ground floor level situated to the West of the building.
1.3 The surrounding area is characterised by predominantly office units, public houses and retail units that have retained many of their original Victorian features and from. Jubilee Building sits adjacent to application site with the Jubilee Clock located 18.5 metres east of the application site.
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 The proposed illuminated signage is to measure 1.2m by 3m with a width of 0.08m and be situated to the middle of the walling above the doorway into the premises. The signage will be black with the wording Blackhorse and the business sign which will be illuminated.
2.3 The non illuminated signage proposed is moving the "Blackhorse" sign approved under PA20/00436/D which was situated above the door to next to the doorway into the premises and for the continuation of the two "Blackhorse" window decals approved under PA20/00436/D to include three more, for a total of 5 window decals.
PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 The application site has had several different applications of which the most relevant are PA20/00436/D which was for "Installation of illuminated signage" and was Permitted.
PLANNING POLICY 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as "Mixed Use, Strand Street". The property is within the Douglas Promenade Conservation Area but not a Flood Risk Zone.
4.2 The Area Plan for the East has a policy which is relevant to the land zoning, Town Centre - Mixed Use Proposal 3 which states, "There will be a presumption in favour of retail and ancillary centre uses such as food and drink and health and beauty uses along the primary shopping frontage. Outside of the primary shopping frontage a wider variety of town centre uses including financial and professional services open to visiting members of the public will also be acceptable. Entertainment venues, Offices and residential use will be acceptable at first floor level and above, but not at ground floor level where an active frontage should be maintained and enhanced. There active frontages are essential to sustain an attractive town centre."
4.3 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.
4.4 In addition to The Control of Advertisements Regulations 2013 we may also consider General Policies 2, 6, 7 and Environment Policy 35 and 37 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 which state:
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21/00990/D Page 3 of 4
4.5 General Policy 2 sets out general 'Development Control' considerations which are arguably relevant even where a proposal is not in accordance with the land-use designation including design (respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them), wider impact (the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality) and parking/access/highway safety.
4.6 General Policy 6 sets out that the display of external advertisements must be of a high standard of design and materials, relate to the site, in keeping with the area and not cause a highway safety issue.
4.7 General Policy 7 sets out that signage must related to the building or site.
4.8 Environment Policy 35 sets out that that development will preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the area.
4.9 Environment Policy 37 sets out that signage in Conservation Areas must preserve or enhance the Conservation Area, be of an appropriate style, of traditional materials and not glossy or highly reflective and not a box fascia or projecting box signs.
REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 The following representations can be seen in full online,
5.2 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." (26.08.21)
5.3 Douglas Corporation have considered the application and have no objection. (1.09.21)
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 main doorway to the premises and the vinyl's within the windows.
6.4 Firstly it is necessary to note that whilst the site is situated within a conservation area and surrounded by historic properties, the site itself is relatively modern with it's overall character and appearance being of a modern glazed office block.
6.5 The proposed signage above the main doorway to the premises is suitable for the area proposed, whilst the signage will be illuminated it is modern and modest in appearance. Taking into account the existing level of lighting present within the surrounding area from public lighting and other shop illuminations, the proposal here wont affect the character or appearance of the Conservation area or the site itself.
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6.6 Turning towards the shop vinyl's, as stated above in this report, two out of the five proposed here had permission under PA20/00436/D. The proposal here when taking into account the previous application means almost all the ground floor windows to the Loch Promenade elevation will have advertisements or vinyl's of some sort. Whilst this could potentially affect how the site is viewed, the addition of the three vinyl's within this application would not increase the impact of the signage within the site to warrant refusal.
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 35 & 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: 05.10.2021
Determining officer
Signed : J SINGLETON Jason Singleton Principal Planner
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