Officer Planning Report Recommendation

Planning Report And Recommendations {{table:289561}} ### Considerations {{table:289557}} ### Written Representations ### Consultations {{table:289558}} {{table:289559}} {{table:289560}}

Officer's Report

The Site

The site represents the curtilage of an existing building situated on the eastern side of Bridson Street. The site has a history of changes of use (see below) but is to be used by Port Erin Commissioners as their offices, replacing their premises in Station Road. The site accommodates the building and associated rear garden and front parking and garden area.

Planning Status

The site lies within an area of Predominantly Residential Use on the Port Erin Local Plan approved by Tynwald in 1990.

Planning History

The following planning applications have been submitted in respect of this site:

PA 05/1714 - conversion of offices to pair of semi-detached dwellings - permitted PA 04/2496 - approval in principle for the conversion of office building and car park into a pair of semi-detached dwellings - permitted PA 00/0462 - extension - permitted

PA 98/0725 - conversion of doctor's surgery to office accommodation - permitted.

The Proposal

Now proposed is the erection of signage for the Commissioners, in the form of three signs: a wall-mounted board attached to the frontage to the left of the front door, a sign above the right hand window and a free-standing sign in front of the building, which will be 2.6m in total height with glass doors.

Assessment

Provided that the free-standing sign does not block visibility for those emerging from the site, this is not objectionable. The Department of Transport Highways and Traffic Division have indicated that they have no objection to the proposal. I did contact the Department of Transport to specifically enquire about the visibility of the free-standing sign.

Party Status

The Department of Transport and the local authority are, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (c) and (d), considered "interested persons" and as such should be afforded party status.

Whilst Manx Electricity Authority represents a statutory authority, the points raised in correspondence relate to matters of supply and working practices and not planning and as such should not be afforded party status in this instance.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision: Permitted

Date of Recommendation: 26.09.2006

Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal

• : Notes attached to refusals

C 1. The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.

C 2. This permission relates to the erection of signage as shown and described in the plan reference K087/C/10-04.

N 1. The applicant is advised that there are Underground Cables/Overhead Lines present in the area indicated in the planning application. Please contact Anthony Kinrade or Ian Horsey, Operations and Maintenance Department, Network Services, Manx Electricity Authority, (Tel. 687705) to discuss

working practices around Cables and Overhead Lines which may be required to be diverted before any work can be carried out on site.

The applicant is also advised to contact the M.E.A. for Electrical Site Safety 5 documents, (Tel. 687766), before any work is carried out on site. All work to be carried out with reference to Health and Safety Executive Guidance Notes HS(G)47 and GS6.

I confirm that this decision accords with Government Circular Nos 44/05 (Delegation of Functions to Director of Planning and Building Control) and 47/05 (Delegation of Functions to Senior Planning Officer)

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 2/10/06

Signed: M. I. McCauley Director of Planning and Building Control