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Reiltys Ellan Vanwin
Installation of external lighting (In association with 15/00179/CON)
Isle Of Man Bank & Trustee Savings Bank The Parade Castletown Isle Of Man IM9 1LG
PA Reference 15/00178/GB
by Planning Officer: Miss S E Corlett
1.1 The site is the curtilage of the Isle of Man and Lloyds Banks (referred to in the application title as the Isle of Man Bank and Trustee Savings Bank) situated on the south western side of The Parade, the central area of the town which currently provides a public car parking area surrounded by commercial properties and Castle Rushen with the entrance to the shopping streets of Malew and Arbory Street to the north west. To the south east of the application building is The George Hotel public house and immediately to the south east of that is a public lane which has been the subject of recent regeneration works (see Planning History). To the north west of the site, adjoining the application buildings is Manannan House, currently a children's education facility (see Planning History).
1.2 The area is in the heart of Castletown's Conservation Area and a number of the buildings around The Parade are Registered, including the application buildings (RB Numbers 39 and 40). The George Hotel and Manannan House (formerly the town hall) are also Registered (numbers 38 and 17 respectively).
2.1 Proposed is a lighting scheme focusing on the application buildings. The lighting will be fixed to the frontage within and on the string course details on the Isle of Man Bank and the wide render band on Lloyds Bank and the lights in the form of tubing fixed to these areas. There are currently lights fixed to the Isle of Man Bank in the form of bars underneath the second storey windows on the front facade. The Lloyds Bank building is unlit other than the signage. The proposed lighting takes the form of LED string lighting which provides a uniform linear glow which accentuates parts of the building rather than illuminating it, linear bar lighting which is generally hidden from view and linear wash lighting which provides a soften illumination of areas of the building.
3.1 As stated above, the site lies within a Conservation Area and as such Environment Policies 32 and 35 are applicable to this development, which echo the provisions of Planning Policy Statement 1/01:
Environment Policy 32 states: "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."
Environment Policy 35 states "Within Conservation Areas, the Department will permit only development which would preserve or enhance the character of appearance of the area, and will ensure that the special features contributing to the character and quality are protected against inappropriate development."
4.1 The area surrounding the application site has been the subject of two previous applications for regeneration works which are considered relevant to the current application:
PA 14/ 00373/B - highway improvements including realignment of vehicular access and parking bays, re-surfacing of pedestrian areas with natural stone, repositioning of the bus stop, installation of lighting columns and feature lighting to illuminate adjacent buildings and landmarks and tree planting - approved (see Appendix One).
PA 12/01243/B - alterations including re-surfacing works and installation of seating, lighting bollards and gullies to connect to existing drainage, George's Lane - approved (see Appendix Two).
4.2 Manannan House was approved to be converted to an education facility under 12/01084/GB.
4.3 Planning approval is currently being sought for Registered Building consent for the works proposed in this current application.
5.1 Castletown Town Commissioners indicate that they have no objection to the application (17.03.15).
6.1 The critical issues in this case are the impact of the proposed lighting on the character and appearance of the buildings to which they will be attached and those surrounding them, and the character and appearance of the Conservation Area in general. Consideration of the impact should include both the impact of the illumination and also the appearance of the lighting elements themselves whether the lighting is operational or not.
6.2 Illumination can significantly enhance not only a building but also the area in which it sits and it is becoming more common, particularly in civic urban areas for prominent or important buildings to be illuminated along the lines of what is proposed here.
6.3 The negative effects of such lighting is almost always the impact of light shining into areas where this is considered a nuisance - particularly residential properties. In this case there is none in the immediate vicinity of the property as would be affected by the proposed lighting.
6.4 The only issue which is slightly unclear in the application is how the wiring will be introduced to the building and it is important as the buildings are Registered that the external finish is not marked or damaged in terms of this. It may be appropriate if the inspector is not content with the level of information which has been provided, to request through a condition that further details of how the wiring will be introduced to the building to facilitate the lighting, must be approved prior to the introduction of such.
7.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, 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) The Highways Division of the Department; and (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.
Recommended conditions if the application is approved:
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.
Prior to the installation of any lighting or electricity supplies, the applicant must have approved by the Department further detailed drawings which demonstrate how the electricity feed and wiring will be introduced to the building without adversely affecting the appearance or fabric of the building.
Reason: to protect the integrity of the building which is Registered and within a Conservation Area.
Plans on which recommendations have been based and upon which any approval should rely.
This approval relates to the Schedule of Luminaires, Product Data Sheets and drawings reference 101, 102, PI100314-02, PI100314-02D, PI100314-02D1, PI100314-03, PI100314-04D, and the untitled elevations all received on 18th February, 2015.
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