Officer Report

Application No.: 18/00408/D Applicant: Age Concern Isle Of Man Limited Proposal: Installation of signage Site Address: Units 3 & 4 87 Parliament Street Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 1AQ Planning Officer: Mr Owen Gore Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 05.09.2018 _________________________________________________________________

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.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This Planning permission relates to the following plans and documents: Drawing No. 8159-01 - Site Location Plan/Site Plan Date-stamped as having been received 18 April 2018 Existing Signage Photograph Date-stamped as having been received 24 April 2018 Proposed signage images Date-stamped as having been received 09 August 2018

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Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report THE SITE

1.1 The application site comprises of two shop units on Ramsey high street; the units are within a row of similar properties on this immediate row and have ornate Edwardian style shop fronts. There are some differences between these properties, but they have a distinct character with continuing themes and are of a similar style, which has otherwise been preserved along this section of the high street. THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The proposal is for new signage above the two units. PLANNING POLICY - 3.1 The application site is shown on the Ramsey Local Plan 1998 map 2 as being within an area designated as 'Mixed Use' with the additional note TC for Town Centre. The application site is not within the Ramsey Conservation Area, which is approx. 150m east of the site, further down Parliament Street.

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'.

PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 The previous planning applications are not considered to be specifically material in the assessment of the current application.

• REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only.
• 5.1 Representation from the Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division confirms that they do not oppose, in the letter dated 18 May 2018.

5.2 Ramsey Town Commissioners have commented on this application and stated that they do not object, in the letter dated 17 May 2018. ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The originally submitted proposal showed a single large sign (8.34m long by 1.35m tall) that spanned across the two units; however it appeared that in order to install the signage as shown the applicant would have needed to remove a section of the shop frontage that separates the two units. This would be classed as development and would therefore have needed full planning permission.

6.2 An amended scheme has been submitted to show two signs, one above each unit and leaving the central section of the shop frontage.

6.3 As the site is two existing shop units, located within an area of mixed use area, within a town centre and the proposal is considered to be acceptable and the application is recommended for approval. CONCLUSION - 7.1 The proposal would not unacceptably harm the characteristics of the existing building or the character of its surroundings. The signage is not illuminated and as the site is located on an existing shop unit, within a town centre area, the proposed signage is unlikely to impact highways or the amenity of adjacent business premises.

7.2 The proposal therefore complies with General Policy 2, General Policy 6 and General Policy 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 Article 6(4), 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) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material
• (d) Highway Services Division of Department of Infrastructure and
• (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

8.2 The decision maker must determine:

• o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and
• o whether there are other persons to those listed in Article 6(4) 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.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 12.09.2018 Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Principal Planner

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