Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No.: 25/90928/B Applicant: 9-TEN Media Group Proposal: Installation of floodlighting, Gobo projectors and wall lights to front elevation, installation of shopfront entrance paving, painting of front elevation, installation of new ventilation ducting and air conditioning plant to rear elevation Site Address: 7 - 17 Wellington Street Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 2AS Planning Officer: Russell Williams Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 04.12.2025 _________________________________________________________________

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

• C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.

Reason: To comply with Article 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

• C 2. The materials to be used in the external surfaces of the development hereby permitted shall accord with Dr No's 1465-P-104B, 1465-P-105B, 1465-P-106, 1465-P-107 and 1465-P-108. Reason: In the interests of the character and appearance of the building and surrounding area.
• C 3. The intensity of illumination from the floodlights and wall lights to the building frontage herbey granted shall not exceed 2600 lm. Reason: In the interests of amenity and/or highway safety.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

The proposed works are considered to be of a suitable design and will enhance the overall appearance of the building and street scene. The theme is in keeping with the proposed uses for the ground floor units, which will benefit the local economy once operational. The proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 22 of the Strategic Plan and Urban Environment Proposal 3 of the Area Plan for the East.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to the following plans and drawings date stamped 6th and 16th October 2025:

• 1465-P-100 External Elevation as Existing - Pre Shopfront Alterations.
• 1465-P-101 South Elevation to Rear Alleyway as Existing.
• 1465-P-102 East Elevation as Existing1465-P-04 Front Elevation as Proposed 1 of 2.
• 1465-P-103 Part East and West Elevations in Rear Alleyway as Existing.
• 1465-P-104B Front Elevation as Proposed - Showing Elevation Alterations.
• 1465-P-105B Front Elevation as Proposed - Showing Elevation Alterations and Redecorations.
• 1465-P-106 South Elevation to Rear Alleyway as Proposed.
• 1465-P-107 East Elevation as Proposed.
• 1465-P-108 Part East and West Elevations in Rear Alleyway as Proposed showing new extract ducting.
• 1465-P-109 Site Location Plan.
• 1465-P-110 Site Plan as Proposed.
• 1465-P-111 Block Plan as Proposed.

• 1334/M01 - Ventilation Modifications at Ground Floor Level.
• 1334/M02 - Ventilation Modifications Elevations. Gobo 40 Watt LED Projector Brochure. Ansell Lighting External Floodlight Data Sheet.

_________________________________________________________________ Right to Appeal It is recommended that the following organisations should NOT be given the Right to Appeal: DOI Highway Services - No Objection Local Authority - No Objection

_________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site comprises a multipurpose building on Wellington Street, Douglas, which is adjacent to the main pedestrianised shopping street in the city centre. Previously, the basement area of the building operated as a public bar & nightclub, which has been vacant since 2020. - 1.2 Various town centre-related uses exist in the area, with the application site building located adjacent a pedestrianized street connecting Duke Street to the east and Nelson Street to the west. A service yard exists to the rear (south) of the site. - 1.3 The site forms a vacant ground floor retail unit, with the wider building operating as several independent businesses, including a restaurant, retail stores & leisure facilities. - 1.4 The existing building comprises of a three storey-block, with additional basement areas. The building frontage facing Wellington Street is finished with painted stone bands at Ground Floor Level up to First Floor, with painted render finishes at First and Second Floor Levels. Windows and doors to the Ground Floor units, and to the First and Second Floor windows are in powder coated aluminium. The building is finished with a slate covered pitched roof, with a central gable feature facing Wellington Street.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The application seeks planning permission for the general redecoration of the building, installation of lighting, resurfacing of the building entrances and new air colling ducting and extractor systems for the trading areas and kitchen. - 2.2 The proposals seek approval for the installation of 3 no illuminated signs, vinyl imagery to doors and a logo projector to part of the property frontage at 7-17 Wellington Street, Douglas. - 2.3 The proposals will comprise:

• 1) The addition of new LED floodlights located on the Wellington Street Elevation.
• 2) The addition of new 'GOBO' LED projector lights. These projector lights are to be located above the openings into the new public house premises, and the entrance to the offices located within the premises, and project temporary images downwards onto the pavement in front of the premises.
• 3) The addition of new wall lights (combined up and downlighters). These wall lights are located on the external wall face on the Wellington Street Elevation to the sides of the Ground Floor Level openings and will provide a subtle level of illumination to the wall faces.
• 4) The redecoration of the exterior of the building to the Wellington Street elevation.
• 5) The addition of NovaStar LED 'ticker tape' lighting around two shopfront openings.
• 6) The addition of new surface finishes at the entrances to the premises in two locations on Wellington Street. The new surface finishes at the building entrances will be in granite stone matching the adjacent pavement surface finish.
• 7) The installation of new external ducting, and two new air-cooled condensing units at the rear of the building, associated with the new Catering Kitchen at Ground Floor Level, and ventilation provided to the main trading areas and toilet areas.

3.0 PLANNING POLICY - 3.1 The site is within an area designated as Mixed Use on the Area Plan for the East (map 5

• Douglas Central), and the site is not within a Conservation Area. This site is not prone to flood risks. As such, the following polices contained within the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 would be relevant for consideration in the assessment of this proposal.

3.2 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains the following policies that are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application: - 3.3 General Policy 2 - development will normally be permitted provided it meets the relevant criteria of (a) to (n). In this case (b) (g) (i) (m) (n) are considered most relevant relating to character of the area and highway safety. - 3.4 Environment Policy 22 - "Development will not be permitted where it would unacceptably harm the environment and/or the amenity of nearby properties in terms of:

• i) pollution of sea, surface water or groundwater;
• ii) emissions of airborne pollutants; and
• iii) vibration, odour, noise or light pollution."

3.5 Area Plan for the East Urban Environment Proposal 3 - "Development proposals must make a positive contribution to local character and distinctiveness. Traditional or contemporary approaches may be appropriate, depending upon the nature of the proposal and the context of the surrounding area."

- 4.0 OTHER MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS

4.1 None - 5.0 PLANNING HISTORY

5.1 The following application are of relevance

99/02334/B - Erection of building comprising two retail units café/bar and floors for leisure usage - 13 Jun 2000 - Permitted

00/02300/B - Additional use for Basement to be used for Night Club/Public House 24 May 2001 - Permitted

00/02299/B - Additional use for Ground Floor Level to include shop, café/bar or restaurant 24 May 2001 - Permitted

02/00134/B - Alterations to shop front, installation of new window and artwork to gable elevation and erection of advertisement sign - 11 Jun 2002 - Permitted

14/00675/B - Conversion of Ground Floor from Café/Bar to Disco/Nightclub - 28 Jul 2014 Permitted

19/00506/B - Alterations and Installation of Pizza vending machine - 25 Jul 2019 - Permitted 25/90721/B - Change of use of retail unit to food and drink place - 16 October 2025 Permitted

• 25/00796/D - Installation of Illuminated advertisements and logo projector - Awaiting determination.
• 25/00797/D - Installation of Illuminated advertisements and logo projector - Awaiting determination.

5.2 There have also been various application for signage approved at the site including 02/00387/D, 07/00635/D, 16/00950/D and 17/00038/D. - 6.0 REPRESENTATIONS

6.1 The following Statutory Consultees have been consulted and their responses can be summarised as follows:

Douglas City Council - No objection.

DOI Highway Services - After reviewing this Application, Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking. Notes to attach to permission: the overhanging sign will need a Section 69 overhanging licence from the DOI.

6.2 No representations have been received from members of the public. 7.0 ASSESSMENT 7.1 The key considerations in the determination of the application are its impact on the proposed advertisements upon the character and appearance of the building and surrounding area.

7.2 Th existing building has a somewhat tired appearance, with grey painted stone walls and white double glazed windows and doors. The building has approval for the change of use to an eating and drinking place which includes new windows and doors.

7.3 The proposed works to redecorate the building frontage, which includes painting the existing stone bands black, will tie in with the colour scheme of the proposed signage to the building. The redecoration, together with new black aluminium windows and doors, will enhance the appearance of the building and thus benefit the character and appearance of the surrounding area. - 7.4 To the frontage, the existing entrances to the units will be resurfaced with stone effect paving that will tie in well with the paving along Wellington Street and this element of the proposals is considered to be acceptable. - 7.5 The development includes new floodlights that will be positioned above the shop front level; up and downlighters are also proposed to the side of ground floor openings. The floodlights will have a luminance of 2547 lumens and will be angled in such a way that they will illuminate the upper part of the building frontage whilst the wall lights will illuminate the wall

• faces around the windows and doors at ground floor level. This is a relatively bright light but there is significant lighting in the street. A condition can be used to prevent any brighter illumination from occurring. There are a number of buildings in the immediate setting which have external lighting attached to the building frontage and together with existing street lighting, the proposed floodlights and wall light are not considered to harm the appearance of the street scene or amenity in the area.
• 7.6 The application proposes the installation of new logo projectors which will display the business logo on the pavement to the frontage. These have previously been considered acceptable with regard to the corresponding advertisement applications and again, they are generally in keeping with the approved signage to the buildings and redecoration. "Ticker tape" led strips around the ground floor window and bifold doors are proposed and reflect the overall theme of the new café. These elements will modernise and enhance the appearance of the building and street scene and are considered to be acceptable.
• 7.7 To the rear service yard a new kitchen extraction flue/riser will be installed upon the building wall; it will be sited next to 2 no. extractor ducts. Additionally, 2 no. AC condenser units will be mounted upon the wall, beside existing air extraction and intake terminals. Neither the flue or AC units can be seen from public vantage points. These installations are vital to the operation of the new business and given the existing presence of extraction systems, there will be no material harm to the character or appearance of the building. The new flue will serve the kitchen and there is potential to odour to impact upon amenity in the area. However, there are restaurants present in the immediate vicinity, including an Indian next door, and so the cumulative effect of the new extraction system is considered to be minimal.

- 8.0 CONCLUSION

8.1 The proposed works are considered to be of a suitable design and will enhance the overall appearance of the building and street scene. The theme is in keeping with the proposed uses for the ground floor units, which will benefit the local economy once operational. The proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2 and Environment Policy 22 of the Strategic Plan and Urban Environment Proposal 3 of the Area Plan for the East; it is therefore recommended that permission is granted. - 9.0 RIGHT TO APPEAL AND RIGHT TO GIVE EVIDENCE

9.1 The Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 sets out the process for determining planning applications (including appeals). It sets out a Right to Appeal (i.e. to submit an appeal against a planning decision) and a Right to Give Evidence at Appeals (i.e. to participate in an appeal if one is submitted).

9.2 Article A10 sets out that the right to appeal is available to:

• o Applicant (in all cases);
• o a Local Authority; Government Department; Manx Utilities; and Manx National Heritage that submit a relevant objection; and
• o any other person who has made an objection that meets specified criteria.

9.3 Article 8(2)(a) requires that in determining an application, the Department must decide who has a right to appeal, in accordance with the criteria set out in article A10. - 9.4 The Order automatically affords the Right to Give Evidence to the following (no determination is required):

• o any appellant or potential appellant (which includes the applicant);
• o the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, the Department of Infrastructure and the local authority for the area;
• o any other person who has submitted written representations (this can include other Government Departments and Local Authorities); and
• o in the case of a petition, a single representative.

9.5 The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture is responsible for the determination of planning applications. As a result, where officers within the Department make comments in a professional capacity they cannot be given the Right to Appeal.

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, and/or rights to appeal.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 04.12.2025 Determining Officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management

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