**Document:** Officer Report **Application:** 17/00038/D — Installation of non-illuminated signage to gable **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2017-02-20 **Parish:** Braddan **Document Type:** report / officer_report **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/22296-braddan-7-17-wellington-street-signage/documents/1021449 --- # Officer Report **Application No.:** 17/00038/D **Applicant:** Carrefour Health & Beauty IOM Limited **Proposal:** Installation of non-illuminated signage to gable **Site Address:** 7 - 17 Wellington Street Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 2PQ Case Officer : Mr Chris Balmer **Expected Decision Level:** Officer Delegation ## Officer’s Report 1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The site relates to the left hand portion of a pair of gables at the western elevation of 7 to 17 Wellington Street. - 1.2 The pair of gables are comprised of a relatively plain rendered surface with minimal mounding in the form of two arches on the upper part of the gables. The mouldings are painted white which is a contrasting colour to the cream coloured render. - 1.3 The façade is visible within the streetscene and fronts an area of car park at the rear of Barclays Bank that is located on Victoria Street. - 1.4 The site is bound by a pedestrian thoroughfare, Wellington Street, to its northern elevation, which allows for a degree of pedestrian access from Prospect hill through to Duke Street. - 1.5 The thoroughfare runs from Prospect Hill easterly to Duke Street and comprises of the pedestrianized Nelson Street crossing Thomas Street to the pedestrianised Wellington Street. - 1.6 The gables are highly visible to pedestrian and vehicular traffic with the entrance to M&S multi-storey car park located on Thomas Street. - 1.7 There is a mix of uses within the row of buildings although immediately adjacent to the application site there are two established businesses. Carrefour Health Club occupies the upper floor of the building immediately coupled with the façade in question and the ground floor and basement are occupied by the Basement Sports Bar - JUST pizza and pasta. 2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The proposal relates solely to the installation of a non-illuminated signage on the gable measuring approximately 1.6 metres in height by approximately 4.5 metres in width. The sign would have a black background with white and orange lettering advertising the "Carrefour Health Clubs" which are located within the 1st and 2nd floor of the building. 3.0 PLANNING POLICY - 3.1 'THE ISLE OF MAN STRATEGIC PLAN 2016 Towards a Sustainable Island' contains relevant policies. - 3.2 '6.6.1 The Department controls the display of advertisements in the interests of amenity or public safety, under the Control of Advertisements Regulations 2005 [now 2013]'. 3.3 '6.6.2 Within our towns and villages, well designed and sensitively sited advertisements can contribute positively to the character of a building or area, and can be of help to the general public. However, advertisements which are too bright, overlarge or poorly sited may endanger safety by distracting or confusing highway users and may, both individually and cumulatively, detract from amenity by being intrusive, by introducing clutter and visual confusion or by masking features of interest or attraction'. - 3.4 General Policy 6: 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. 3.5 General Policy 7: 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. 4.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 4.1 Historically the twin gabled façade has housed adverts relating to the businesses in the building. These adverts were removed to allow the renovation of the building. - 4.2 Erection of an advertising board - 16/00950/D - REFUSED for the following reason: "R 1. The application seeks consent for a digital hoarding to display generic advertisements unrelated to the building upon which it is to be attached. The proposal would display a variety of changing digital images giving rise to unwarranted clutter that would detract from the appearance of the area and be contrary to General Policy 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016." 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Douglas Corporation have no objection to the application (31.01.2017). - 5.2 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services has no opposition to this application (10.02.2017). 6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The Government's Strategic Plan is explicitly clear in how it expects applications for advertisements to be considered. Those adverts that relate to the uses of the building to which they are attached are generally seen as being reasonable. Advertisements that are not related to the land or building to which they are attached are generally not acceptable. The reasoning for this is obvious, if adverts are acceptable on land that is unrelated to them, then there would be no restrictions on adverts and this would lead to an unwarranted proliferation of adverts that would compromise the tidiness and attractiveness of towns and villages, not to mention the countryside. - 6.2 The scheme as proposed would constitute a large advert for a business which is related to the building to which the advert is attached. Accordingly, unlikely the previous scheme it is considered the principle of the proposal is acceptable, complying with comply with General Policy 6 & 7. - 6.3 The non-illuminated sign would be of a design, finish and size which is appropriate to the appearance of the building and the street scene and therefore would not have a detrimental visual impact to the area or individual building. Accordingly, it is considered the proposal would comply with General Policy 6. - 6.4 In terms of highway safety the current proposal raises no issue. 7.0 RECOMMENDATION - 7.1 For these reasons the proposal is considered to comply with the relevant polices of the Strategic Plan and therefore recommended for an approval. 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 of Infrastructure; - (f) The Ports Division of the Department of Infrastructure; - (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. 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: 14.02.2017 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 approval relates to the submitted documents and drawings all received on 17th January 2017. I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Senior Planning Officer in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation. Decision Made : Permitted Date: 15.02.2017 Determining officer Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer Customer note This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/customers and archive records. --- *Data sourced from the Isle of Man public planning register under the [Isle of Man Open Government Licence](https://www.gov.im/about-this-site/open-government-licence/).* *Canonical page: https://planningportal.im/a/22296-braddan-7-17-wellington-street-signage/documents/1021449*