Officer Planning Statement Copy

Planning Statement Of The Department Of Infrastructure

Application No.:	11/00945/D
Applicant:	Department Of Infrastructure
Proposal:	Erection of information signage
Site Address:	Hills Meadow Industrial Estate Peel Road Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 5EB

Case Officer:

Chief Secretary's Office

Consulttee:	Highways Division
Notes:

Consulttee:	Douglas Corporation
Notes:	no objection

Considerations

Written Representations

None received at time of drafting report

Consultations

Officer's Report

The Site

The application site is the majority of Hills Meadow Industrial Estate, Peel Road, Douglas.

The Proposal

This application seeks approval for the erection of information signage consisting of four signs, two of which (Type 1) would be 1.5 metres by 1.5 metres displaying the name of the industrial estate and two (Type 2) would be 2 m by 2 m and would display the names of businesses located at the industrial site. The Type 1 signs would be positioned at each entrance to the estate. The Type 2 signs would be located further into the site.

Planning Status

The application site is located within an area identified as being Light Industrial by the Douglas Local Plan. The site is not within a Conservation Area. Within the Isle of Man Strategic Plan, General Policy 6 is relevant. This 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.

Planning History

The site has been the subject of a high number of planning applications however none of these are judged to be specifically relevant to this application.

Representations

The Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure does not object to this application.

Douglas Corporation does not oppose this application.

Assessment

The main issues to be assessed in the determination of this application are whether the proposal would accord with General Policy 6 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007.

Part (a) relates to the design and general quality of the proposed signage. It is judged that the sign types proposed would be appropriate to the surrounding area in terms of scale and design. The signage would relate to the industrial estate as a whole and would provide an organised and visually acceptable method of directing users of the estate. It is judged that part (a) and part (b) would be met by this proposal.

Part (c) relates to highway safety. It is important that signage is positioned so as not to impede visibility or cause a distraction to drivers. The Highways Division does not oppose this application and accordingly the proposal is judged to accord with this part of GP6.

Recommended Conditions

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

2) This approval relates to the erection of information signage, Hills Meadow Industrial Estate, Peel Road, Douglas as shown by Location 01 and Signage 02 received 8th July 2011.