DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 21/01207/D Applicant: Mr Ian & Mrs Kay Dennett Proposal: Installation of illuminated signage to front elevation Site Address: Ye Old Royal Oak 14 - 16 Market Place East Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 1JY Principal Planner: Mr Chris Balmer Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 09.11.2021 _________________________________________________________________

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.

It is considered the proposed works would preserve the character and appearance of the individual property or the character and appearance of the Conservation Area and therefore the proposal would comply with to General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35 & 37 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the submitted documents and drawings all received on 12.10.2021.

_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

It is recommended that the following Government Departments should be given Interested Person Status on the basis that they have made written submissions these do relate to planning considerations:

Flood Management Division (DOI) _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The site represents the curtilage of the premises of Ye Old Royal Oak, Market Place East, Ramsey. The existing property is two storey attached property located on a corner plot, with Market Place to the west of the site.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The application seeks approval for the installation of two illuminated signage to front elevation. The two signs are made up of a back board which the individual letters/signage will be expressed from the backboard by 2cm. Lighting would be provided via trough style lighting/tray lighting.

3.0 PLANNING STATUS AND POLICY - 3.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is Mixed Use under the Ramsey Local Plan Order 1998. The application site falls within a Conservation Area. - 3.2 The Control of Advertisements Regulations 2013 make it 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. - 3.3 Due to the designation of the site and the nature of the application it is appropriate to consider the following polices of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016: - 3.4 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;

3.5 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'.

3.6 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'. - 3.7 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'.

3.8 Environment Policy 38 states: 'Advertisements close to Conservation Areas must respect and preserve the character and appearance of the area to ensure that views into and out of such areas are protected'.

4.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 4.1 The previous planning applications which are considered relevant in the determination of this application. - 4.2 Installation of illuminated signage to front elevation - 21/00287/D - REFUSED on the following grounds:

"R 1. The design, style & finish of the signage proposed would not preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the individual property or the Conservation Area and therefore the proposal would be contrary to General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35 & 37 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016."

4.3 Provision of advertising sign, Blackford & Company, Royal Oak, Market Square, Ramsey

- 95/01472/D - REFUSED

4.4 Provision of advertising, Royal Oak, Market Square, Ramsey - 93/00532/D - APPROVED

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Highway Services comment (20.10.2021); "After reviewing this Application, Highway Services find it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, 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." - 5.2 Flood Risk Management Division (DOI) comment there is no flood risk interest (19.10.2021). - 5.3 Ramsey Commissioners have no objection (21.10.2021).

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The main issue to be considered in the assessment of this application is the impact of the proposed development upon the character and appearance of the Conservation Area and the individual property. - 6.2 The Planning 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 very relevant to consider Environment Policy 35 & 37 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan (adopted June 2016). Environment Policy 35 indicates that development within Conservation Areas will only be permitted if they would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development. Environment Policy 37 again seeks to ensure any signage preserves or enhances the Conservation Area, but also that the signage is in a style appropriate to the character of the area; traditional materials and finishes are used and glossy and highly reflective materials are excluded from proposals; and internally illuminated box fascia and projecting box signs are excluded from the proposals. - 6.3 The proposed signage now overcomes the previous concern which proposed two internally illuminated box fascia which would project forward of the front elevation of the building and proposed the use of a glossy and highly reflective materials, which were considered to fail to meet the requirements of the policy; nor would have they be of a style appropriate to the character of the area and the individual traditional building.

6.4 The new design is traditional in design and traditional style of lighting. Overall, it is consider the proposals would preserve the Conservation Area as a whole, and appropriate to the individual building and the Conservation Area.

7.0 CONCLUSION - 7.1 Overall, it is considered the proposed works would preserve the character and appearance of the individual property or the character and appearance of the Conservation Area and therefore the proposal would comply with to General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 35 & 37 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016. The application is recommend for approval.

8.0 PARTY 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 the Head of Development Management 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 : 12.11.2021 Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management

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