Officer Report

Application No.: 18/00889/B Applicant: Department Of Infrastructure Proposal: Street paving and associated regeneration works Site Address: Street Market Hill Douglas Isle Of Man Head of Development Management: Miss Jennifer Chance Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 03.12.2018 _________________________________________________________________

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 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

• C 2. Notwithstanding the details submitted within the application, prior to the commencement of the development, hereby approved, a written explanation and/or plans at a scale of 1:10 showing how the surface works will abut and relate to the columns and base plinth(s) of the Old Market Hall (currently known as The Manx Legion) shall be submitted to and approved by the Department. Thereafter the development shall not be carried out except in strict accordance with approved details.

Reason: In the interests of safeguarding the architectural and historic features of a Registered Building, in accordance with General Policy 2, Environmental Policy 35 and Environmental Policy 32 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, and Planning Policy Statement 1/01.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This planning permission relates to the following plans and documents: Statement to Support the Planning Application

• Drawing No.P001 - Market Hill General Arrangement
• Drawing No.P002 - Typical Sections & Street Furniture Date-stamped as having been received 20th and 22nd August 2018

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 SITE - 1.1 The site is the pedestrianised route through Douglas town centre. This section includes the crossing on Lord Street and links this highway with Chapel Row and the North Quay via Market hill.

2.0 PROPOSAL - 2.1 The proposal is to replace the existing paving to replicate the granite paving sets of the previously renovated parts of the town centre and introduces new highway surfacing to match the North Quay. - 2.2 The proposal also includes new street lighting, installing cycle parking, a seating area, a water drinking fountain and raised planters.

- 3.0 PLANNING POLICY

• o Local Area Plan - Douglas Local Plan 1998
• o Site Designation - 'Area of Predominantly Shopping use'

3.1 The following policies are particularly relevant to this proposal:-

Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 o General Policy 2 (GP2) - Development within land-use zones; o Transport Policy 5 (TP5) - Improvements to the highways network; and o Transport Policy 6 (TP6) - The needs of pedestrians.

3.2 Part of the site is within the Athol St and Victoria St Conservation Areas; therefore Environmental Policy 35 (EP35) is applicable to this proposal. Part of the proposal also sits immediately outside of two Registered Buildings, which form the New Market Hall (RB No.120). Therefore Environmental Policy 32 (EP32) and Planning Policy Statement 1/01 (PPS 1/01) are also considered to be applicable. - 3.3 Due to the location of the development, the Central Douglas Masterplan is a material consideration.

4.0 PLANNING HISTORY The previous planning permission 18/00421/B applied to an adjacent site; however it is considered to be material in the assessment of the current application. - 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only.

Douglas Borough Council o Support the proposals

The comments continue: In offering its support the council would ask that the following comments are considered: -

• a) The council asks that the Planning Committee is cognisant of planning application 18/00846/B and the effect on the area included in these regeneration works, particularly the likelihood of increased traffic through Chapel Row;
• b) Concerns have been raised as to the accuracy of the roadway widths shown on the drawings and the council asks that the applicant be required to confirm the accuracy of the survey. (Dated 27 September 2018) Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division

• o DNOC - Do not oppose subject to condition The comments continue: -

'Highway Services does not oppose the application and it is requested that a planning condition is imposed to provide the visibility splays as shown on the plan and maintain them unobstructed at all times with nothing above 1.05m in height within the visibility splay areas'.

(Dated 25 September 2018) Neighbours' views

• o No comments received.

6.0 ASSESSMENT Character and appearance

6.1 The proposal is to renovate the public spaces of the town centre, which includes this thoroughfare. The choice of materials and the design is proposed to be in keeping with the previous improvements to the public realm that have taken place on other parts of Duke Street to the north of the site. - 6.2 The proposal would not unacceptably harm the characteristics of the existing building, the character of its surroundings or the Conservation Area. In this respect, the proposal complies with GP2 and EP35; the proposal will not impact the Registered Buildings in accordance with EP32 and PPS 1/01. Impact on neighbours - 6.3 The proposed development would not result in a significant adverse impact upon the living conditions of neighbouring residents. In this respect, the proposal complies with GP2. Parking and highway safety - 6.4 The proposal will not increase the number of bed spaces or reduce the amount of parking provision available on site. Highway Services has requested that the visibility splays are implemented as shown on the plan and remain unobstructed at all times; they have asked that this be secured by planning condition. - 6.5 The existing visibility splays appear to be unaffected by this proposal, with no alterations to the width or location of the existing access/junction and no additional street furniture appears to have been proposed in these areas. - 6.6 Any street furniture erected or placed in these areas, such as A-frame signs or external seating, would require consent under Section 78 of the Highways Act 1986. Therefor a condition is considered not to be necessary in this instance. The proposal is therefore in accordance with GP2.

- 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 The proposal is considered acceptable in accordance with the designation within the Local Area Plan and the appropriate policies within the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016. - 8.0 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: 19.12.2018 Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Principal Planner

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