DEC Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No.: 24/00806/D Applicant: JAC Distribution Ltd Proposal: Erection of non-illuminated signage Site Address: 7 - 11 Douglas Street Peel Isle Of Man IM5 1BA Planning Officer: Lucy Kinrade Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 30.09.2024 _________________________________________________________________

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

• C 1. The advertisement(s) hereby granted consent shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice. Reason: To avoid the accumulation of unimplemented advertisement consents.
• C 2. The signage hereby approved shall be installed in full accordance with the details provided on Proposed Front Elevations Rev C, Proposed Side Elevation Rev B and Proposed Shop front, and all the signage shall not be installed any larger/bigger than the written dimensions provided and stated on the approved drawings and details.

Reason: for the avoidance of doubt minded of the additional drawings provided to overcome the scale and size issues, and the application has been assessed on the basis of the signs sizes as listed in the application form, original shop front drawing and those details on revision drawings and accounting for the 4mm tolerance between 1726mm and 1.73m in respect of the length of the front elevation sign.

• C 3. In the event that the side elevation customer car parking directional sign is no longer required it shall be removed and the wall made good to match the remaining wall surface.

Reason: this sign is not typical of a conservation area and is only considered acceptable for the purpose of directing visiting customers relating to the use of the building to the available car parking for customers, should this need cease the sign would be unwarranted and shall be removed to avoid clutter and in the interest of visual amenity of the Conservation Area.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

Subject to conditions in respect of signage size and removal, the application is considered to accord with The Control of Advertisements Regulations 2013, as well as meeting with the

principles of General Policies 6, 7 and 8 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 and within bounds of acceptability so as to not result in any significant or wider visual harm and the overall character of the shopping street and the wider character and appearance of the Conservation Area is to be preserved in line with Environment Policy 35 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to the following:

• o Application form
• o Proposed Shop Front
• o Site Plan
• o Location Plan

• - all date received 23/07/2024

and o Existing front elevation Rev C o Existing side elevation Rev B o Proposed front elevation Rev C o Proposed side elevation Rev B

• - All date received 27/09/2024 _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

None ___________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site is the curtilage of the former Lloyds Bank building at 7 - 11 Douglas Street, Peel which is an end of terrace two storey property. The appearance of the building is fairly unusual for this part of Peel and is a distinct building within the Peel Conservation Area. This part of the Conservation Area is made up of two or three storey terraced properties, these are mainly retail premises, cafes and restaurants. Some have traditional shop fronts, others have a more modern character.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Proposed is the erection of three signs:

• o front elevation sign made up of individual letters built up in stainless steel and powder coated foamex - total size approx. 1.73m wide x 0.7m tall.
• o front elevation projecting sign 0.5m wide x 0.5m tall fixed on with bracket
• o side elevation car parking sign 1.2m wide x 0.6m tall dibond.

2.2 None of the signs are to be illuminated.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 The site has been subject to a number of previous application including five for advertising signage previously -

• o PA 89/00654/D Erection of illuminated signs - permitted
• o PA 97/01262/D Erection of illuminated advertising signage - permitted
• o PA 00/00713/B Installation of cash machine and sign - permitted
• o PA 04/02141/D Erection of advertising sign - refused
• o PA 13/00364/D Erection of illuminated signage - Approved

- 4.0 PLANNING POLICY

4.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site lies within an area designated on the Peel Local Plan as "Mixed Use - Town Centre". It is also within the Peel Conservation Area.

4.2 The Control of Advertisements Regulations 2013 make it clear that the only considerations which can be applied to applications made under them are in the interests of amenity and public safety. In the case of amenity, such things as the general characteristics of the area need to be taken into account along with the presence of any features of historic, architectural, cultural or similar interest and the public safety should consider the safety of any person using a road, railway, tramway, harbour or aerodrome including the obscuration of any traffic sign or similar. - 4.3 In addition to The Control of Advertisements Regulations 2013 we may also consider General Policies 6 and 7 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 which cover advertisements in both town and village centres as well as Environment Policy 35 and Environment Policy 37 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan which refer to the conservation area and advertisement in conservation areas. - 4.4 A material consideration would also be Policy CA/2 Special Planning Considerations from Planning Policy Statement 1/01 (Conservation of the Historic Environment).

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only.

5.1 Peel Town Commissioners - consulted but no response received as of 30/09/2024. - 5.2 Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highway Services - Do not oppose (26/07/2024) no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking. An oversailing of the highway licence will be required from DOI for the projecting sign onto the adopted highway.

- 6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 The Control of Advertisements Regulations 2013 make clear that the only considerations which can be applied to applications made under them are in the interests of amenity and public safety. In the case of amenity, such things as the general characteristics of the area need to be taken into account along with the presence of any features of historic, architectural, cultural or similar interest and the public safety should consider the safety of any person using a road, railway, tramway, harbour or aerodrome including the obscuration of any traffic sign or similar. Further to this paragraph 6.6.2 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 makes clear that "within our towns and villages, well designed and sensitively sited advertisements can contribute positively to the character of a building or area, and can be of help to the general public. However, advertisements which are too bright, overlarge or poorly sited may endanger safety by distracting or confusing highway users and might, both individually and cumulatively, detract from amenity by being intrusive, by introducing clutter and visual confusion or by masking features of interest or attraction". Paragraph 6.6.3 furthers on this stating that "within rural areas, advertisements can be disruptive features which affect adversely the appearance of the landscape and the countryside. Lighting can pollute the night sky, and may be contrary to nature conservation interests". Signage - 6.2 The site is within a Conservation Area where there is a need to ensure the character and appearance is preserved or enhanced. The site sits central to the main shopping centre of Peel where there is already an established level of signage in the shopping area. - 6.3 The previous 2013 approval was for aluminium individual letters with "Halo" illumination effect and was considered to be sympathetic and respectful to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area and appropriate for this area. This application also included a small

• projecting sign and two smaller wall signs also considered acceptable and the application was conditioned as such.
• 6.4 The proposed signage within this application also comprises a higher quality built up stainless steel and powder coated foamex element and a smaller projecting sign similar to that of the 2013 application although not now illuminated, and these signs are both considered to be acceptable and sensitive to the Conservation Area. In addition a further dibond vinyl car parking sign if proposed on the side elevation and while this is perhaps the least appropriate for the conservation area and has some negative visual impact, its design is purposeful to direct customers to parking for the site and facilitating the intended business users which weighs in favour, and its requirement for ease of public direction and its size for this purpose is not considered to be overbearing and sufficient enough for public reading which also weighs in favour and mindful that the sign can easily be removed in the future also weighing in favour.
• 6.5 All of the signage relates to the new users of the building and helps to support bringing an old building in the centre of Peel back into use. Collectively the signs are considered to be proportionate and acceptable in terms of their form, size and finish and not being overbearing or dominant, and the overall character of the shopping street and the wider Conservation Area is to be preserved. Illumination
• 6.6 None of the signage is to be illuminated and so no assessment is required in this respect and a condition can be added for the avoidance of doubt and any future illumination subject to a separate application. Procedural Matters
• 6.7 It is noted that the proposed front elevation signage drawing is provided with the incorrect scale noted in the title block (should be 1:25@A2 or 1:50@A4), but nevertheless that the written dimensions are correct and matching those written dimensions in the application form and on the remaining drawings and so any approval here for the signage can be safeguarded by a suitably worded condition matching the signage written dimensions.

- 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 The side elevation sign is considered to result in some negative impact and this weighs against the proposal, while the positives of this building being brought back into use, that the signage could be removed at a later date, and minded that the other two signs across the frontage are considered acceptable all weigh in favour of the application. - 7.2 The proposal is not expected to result in any amenity harm to the existing building, to public safety or to overall outlook from neighbouring properties. - 7.3 The application is considered to accord with The Control of Advertisements Regulations 2013, as well as meeting with the principles of General Policies 6, 7 and 8 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016 and within bounds of acceptability so as to not result in any significant or wider visual harm and the overall character of the shopping street and the wider character and appearance of the Conservation Area is to be preserved in line with Environment Policy 35. Conditions in respect of signage size and the removal of the plastic car park sign should it no longer be required are necessary.

- 8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS

8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 2013 (As Amended), the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• o The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent;
• o Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material;
• o The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

• o the Highways, Ports and Railways divisions of the Department of Infrastructure.

8.2 The decision maker must determine:

• o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than those explicitly listed above) 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 a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded interested person status and/or rights to appeal.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 01.10.2024 Determining Officer

Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Principal Planner

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