Planning Officer Report

Case Officer: Mr Jamie Leadbeater Photo Taken: Site Visit: Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation

Officer's Report

The Application Site

1. The application site is the curtilage of a new four storey hotel, retail unit and restaurant with associated car parking on Park Road in Ramsey. The front elevation of the property overlooks neighbouring Mooragh Park lake, whilst the south elevation is located over 60 metres away from the nearest residential properties on nearby Premier Road. The north-facing side elevation adjoins the associated car parking area whilst the rear elevation overlooks a vacant area of land approximately 73 metres from Mooragh Promenade that borders the foreshore at Ramsey.

The Proposal

1. Proposed is the erection of the following signage:

• free standing illuminated aluminium sign 2400mm in height and 1216mm wide, to front of ground floor reception area;
• a non-illuminated aluminium sign at third floor level, on south-facing side elevation measuring 2120mm wide and 1800mm in height; and,
• non-illuminated aluminium letter signage at ground floor eaves level on front elevation, spanning 7320mm in width and 465mm in height.

1. The free standing signage to front elevation and the signage on the south-facing side elevation include the name of the hotel and its logo, whilst the lettering signage to be installed on the front elevation will be to advertise a restaurant contained within the hotel building. The illuminated free standing sign will be illuminated during dark hours by floor mounted spotlights within the paving block, either side of the sign.

Planning History

1. The application site has been the subject of a number of previous planning applications, one of which is considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application:

09/01400/B - Construction of a 30 bed hotel development with a retail unit and 45 cover restaurant & bar

Application No.:	12/00937/D
Applicant:	Ramsey Park Hotel Ltd
Proposal:	Erection of illuminated and non illuminated signage
Site Address:	Ramsey Park Hotel Park Road Ramsey Isle Of Man IM8 3AR

with associated parking provision – Permitted.

07/01790/B - Demolition of existing two bungalows and development of site to provide a hotel with function and conference facilities, and 96 residential apartments – Permitted.

Planning Policy

1. The application site falls within an area designated for a mixture of Residential and Office use in the Ramsey Local Plan 1998. There are no policies within Planning Circular 2/99, the written statement that accompanies the local plan, which are considered specifically material to the assessment of the planning application.

1. The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains three policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application. General Policy 2 states:

"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."

General Policy 6 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."

General Policy 7 states:

"Within our towns and villages, the display of external advertisements on sites or buildings other than those to which they relate will not generally be permitted."

Representations

1. Ramsey Town Commissioners have no objection to the proposal.

1. The Highways Division do not oppose the proposal as it has no traffic management, parking or road safety implications.

Assessment

1. Given the content of all proposed signs, it is considered all proposed signage relate to the uses of the building. The size of the two signs affixed to the building are both proportionate to the scale of their respective elevations. The proposed free standing sign would not be over-bearing in terms of scale on the street-scene and is also proportionate to the size of the front elevation. In terms of siting, all signage will be readily visible from the

adjoining highway (Park Road), whilst the proposed sign on the south side elevation is likely to also be visible from further away North Shore Road and Premier Road. Whilst the proposed signage are likely to be visible from long distances away, it is not considered they would be detrimental to the street-scene, the residents of properties in the surrounding area or the wider landscape. More specifically, although the free-standing sign would be illuminated during dark hours, given the distance that will be retained between it and neighbouring properties, it is not considered it would cause undue harm to surrounding properties. In terms of design, all proposed signage are of a high quality design that respect the character of the application property and do not adversely affect the function of the nearby highway. Overall, the proposal complies with the relevant provisions in General Policy 2, General Policy 6 and General Policy 7 in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007.

Recommendation

1. It is recommended that the planning application be approved.

Party Status

1. It is considered that the following parties that made representations to the planning application should be afforded interested party status:

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

1. It is considered that the following parties that made representations to the planning application should not be afforded interested party status:

The Department of Transport Highways and Traffic Division is now part of the Department of Infrastructure of which the planning authority is part. As such, the Highways and Traffic Division cannot be afforded party status in this instance.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision: Permitted

Date of Recommendation: 06.08.2012

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 approval relates to the erection of illuminated free-standing signage to front elevation, erection of non-illuminated signage at eaves level on front elevation, and erection of non-illuminated signage at third floor level on south-facing side elevation, as shown in drawing no. 1544/06/05 and the drawings by the Northern Trust for Item 1 Option Biii, 2 Option A and 3 Option B, all received on 28th June 2012.

I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control / Development Control Manager/ Senior Planning Officer.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 9.8.12

Determining officer (delete as appropriate)

Signed : _________________________ Anthony Holmes Senior Planning Officer

Signed : _________________________ Michael Gallagher Director of Planning and Building Control

Signed : _________________________ Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer

Signed : _________________________ Jennifer Chance Development Control Manager