DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 20/01083/B Applicant: Department Of Infrastructure Proposal: Erection of protective fencing Site Address: Battery Pier Yard Douglas Isle Of Man Senior Planning Officer: Mr Jason Singleton Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 03.11.2020 _________________________________________________________________

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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The planning application would not harm the visual amenity of the surrounding area and would be an appropriate form of development in this instance, and is recommended for approval.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to drawings referenced; 100, 101, date stamped received 18 September 2020 _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site forms a parcel of development land which is located to the southern side of South Quay and west of the Douglas Lifeboat Station. The site is named by the applicant as the "Battery Pier Yard" and is currently used as a engineering works and depot by the DOI. The northern roadside boundary of the site consists of a 2.0m high wall.

- 2.0 THE PROPOSAL

2.1 Proposed is the erection of protective fencing, for the protection of infrastructure and storage of equipment. To the north of the site, a similar application was submitted (para.4.2) and approved for the method of enclosure. - 2.2 The scope of works would see the use of galvanised "Paliside" fencing panels affixed to the back of the existing concrete wall to extend the height of security measurers. The existing concrete wall is 2.0m high and the proposed panels are 1.2m in length which would project another 700mm above this 2.0m level (500mm is affixed to the wall), giving a total height of

• 2.7m.
• 3.0 PLANNING POLICY

3.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is within an area designated as "Light Industrial" on the Douglas Local Plan. The site is not within a Conservation Area. - 3.2 Within the adopted Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, the following policies are considered to be relevant in the determination of this application: - 3.3 General Policy 2 (GP2) (in part) 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; (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them.

- 4.0 PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 17/01108/B - Widening of an existing access. Approved. 09/00582/B - Construction of a replacement fire fighting pump house and pipeline.

Approved. To the south of the applcaition site is a former approval for the same method of enclosure.

4.2 20/00425/B - Erection of security fencing and gates. Approved.

- 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Douglas Borough Council commented (09/10/20) with no objections. - 5.2 Highways Services have commented (09/10/20) with no objections.

- 6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are; i) visual impact of the proposed development; (GP2(b) & (c) (g) (m)) - 6.2 The proposed addition of fencing here to the boundary wall is of a material and profile that is commonly used in and around industrial areas as a means of enclosing or securing areas and would be an appropriate material and profile to be used in this instance. The attachment to the existing wall would offer a degree of increased security as a visual deterrent and would also help to prevent individuals from climbing on top of the wall and into the compound due to the increased height of protective measures. Within the character of the streetscene it would not appear out of place given the use of the site and the surrounding area would be considered to have a neutral impact in accordance with General Policy 2.

- 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 For the above reasons, it is concluded that the planning application would not harm the visual amenity of the surrounding area and would be an appropriate form of development in this instance, and is recommended for approval. - 8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS

8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf);
• (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure;
• (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and
• (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material. 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 above who should be given Interested Person Status

I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Head of Development Management in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 03.11.2020 Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management

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