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The application site represents the curtilage of a building on the corner of Victoria Street and Duke Street in Douglas. The property comprises numbers 18a-20 Victoria Street and 41-45 Duke Street.
The building is Registered (RB no. 223). It was built in 1929 for the Burton's company and is in the typical style of their buildings. It is three storeys tall on a prime corner site. The style is Art Deco, with white faience elevations.
Proposed is the erection of advertising signage. The signage would be located above the shop frontages to Victoria Street and Duke Street.
There is existing signage for "Java Lounge", which is on the first floor and "Island Books", which was formerly on the ground floor. The proposed signage would reflect the proposed change of use of part of the site to an estate agent's. The writing and logo for "Java Lounge" would be retained, but the signage for "Island Books" would be removed. The elevations to Victoria Street and Duke Street would have the name "Harmony Homes", plus the logo and telephone number for the company.
The area for signage across the Victoria Road elevation measures 13.9 metres wide by 2 metres high. There is be a small section on the splayed corner measuring 1.54 metres wide by 2 metres high,
where there is a logo for Java Lounge. The remaining section to Duke Street would measure 9.94 metres wide by 2 metres high.
The signage would have a white background, black lettering and a gold logo. It would not be illuminated. The material would be flat cut acrylic letters on nylon standoffs.
The following previous planning applications are considered relevant in the assessment and determination of this application;
87/00831/D – Permitted 19.06.87 Replacement of existing 3 signs by 3 illuminated signs.
04/02202/D – Refused on Review 15.12.05 Erection of advertising sign. Reason for refusal The style and design of the advertising sign is not considered to be appropriate and will detract from the appearance of the building.
05/92287/D – Permitted 20.02.06 Erection of signage.
10/01903/GB & 10/01904/CON – Pending Consideration Change of use of existing retail premises to an office/estate agency with internal alterations.
The application site is located within an area designated as Predominantly Shopping Use in the Douglas Local Plan Order 1998, Map No. 1 (Central Area). The property is a Registered Building (RB 223) and the site is located within the Douglas (Athol Street/Victoria Street) Conservation Area.
The relevant planning policies from the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 are General Policy 6, Environment Policy 32 and Environment Policy 35. Policy RB/5 for alterations and extensions to Registered Buildings from Planning Policy Statement 1/01 (Conservation of the Historic Environment) is also considered to be relevant.
Within our towns and villages, the display of external advertisements will be permitted on the site or building to which they relate provided they:
Extensions or alterations to a Registered Building which would affect detrimentally its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest will not be permitted.
Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which 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.
In considering whether to grant planning approval for development which affects a registered building or its setting and in considering whether to grant registered building consent for any works, the Department shall have special regard to the desirability of preserving the building or its setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses.
Registered building consent is required for the building's alteration in any way which would affect its special architectural or historic character. There will be a general presumption against alteration or extension of registered buildings, except where a convincing case can be made, against the criteria set out in this section, for such proposals.
Applicants for registered building consent for alteration or extension to a registered building must be able to justify their proposals. They will be required to show why the works which would affect the character of the registered building are desirable or necessary and they should provide full information to enable the Department to assess the likely impact of their proposals on the special architectural or historic interest of the building and on its setting. Where registered buildings are the subject of successive applications for alteration or extension, consideration will also be given to the cumulative affect upon the building's special interest as a result of several minor works which may individually seem of little consequence.
Douglas Corporation have no objection to the proposal.
No written responses have been received from the general public.
A planning application is currently pending consideration for the change of use of the existing retail premises to an office/estate agent's (see PA's 10/01903/GB and 10/01904/CON). The erection of signage is not included in the application for change of use, so this separate application has now been submitted.
The principal issue in assessing this application is the visual impact of the signage on the building itself and on the wider Conservation Area in general.
The signs would have a white background with black lettering and a gold logo. This would match the existing signage for Java Lounge. It is considered that due to the colour and delicate style of the writing, the signage would have a similar overall appearance to the existing and the visual impact would not detract from the appearance of the building or the character of the Conservation Area.
The Planning Officer has set out within their report the relevant policies. The proposed signage, formed in individual letters raised off a background, is considered to be an enhancement over the current signage on the registered building.
Recommend approval.
For the above reasons, this proposal is considered to be acceptable and is recommended for approval.
The local authority is, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (c) and (d), considered an "interested person" and as such should be afforded party status.
Recommended Decision: Permitted
Date of Recommendation: 16.02.2011
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal
C 1. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.
C 2. This approval relates to the erection of advertising signage, as shown in the site/location plan, the photographs of the existing signage on the building, the photograph of an existing Harmony Homes frontage and the detailed drawing of the proposed signage, all date stamped 14 January 2011.
C 3. This approval does not include the change of use to office/estate agency with internal alterations, which is subject to a separate application.
I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to the Senior Planning Officer.
Decision Made : Permitted Date : 16 February 2011
Signed : Senior Planning Officer
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