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1.1 The application site is the curtilage of the car park, walkway and the gardens St John's Mill, Mill Road. Which are located to the northeast of Tynwald Mills. The car park was formerly the Department of Transport (now Infrastructure). Depot which is located adjacent to Poortown Road. It is currently use as a car park for Tynwald Mills shopping centre and St John's Conference Centre.
2.1 The application seeks approval for amendment of external lighting scheme approved under PA 09/01880/B (Retrospective). The application includes:
a) the erection of four 5.1 metre high column lights; b) the installation of LED strip lighting along the underside of the hand rail of the foot bridge and along the footpath which runs from the Mill garden to Mill Road; c) erection of ten 0.36 metre high bollard lights along footpath within Mill garden; d) installation of four recessed LED within garden (beneath two trees and two benches); and e) two wall mounted downward lights to dwarf wall at the entrance to the garden from the Mill.
3.1 Creation of a car park and amenity woodland (comprising amendments to 05/92367/B) - 09/01880/B - APPROVED 3.2 Creation of a car park and amenity woodland - 05/92367/B - APPROVED 3.3 Approval in principle for creation of coach park and overspill car park - 00/00955/A - REFUSED
4.1 The site falls within the area covered by the St Johns Local Plan (Planning Circular 6/99) as Registered Trees and as such is not zoned for development. However the site is also identified as Landscape Improvement Area A - The Department of Transport Depot at Tynwald Mills. Recommendation OS/R/1 refers to this area stating:
"Removal of the existing concrete bases and the introduction of screen plating along the boundaries of the river edge. The Department of Transport has suggested that part of this area should be used for coach parking. Any proposal for such a facility must be carefully considered in light of local comments and traffic implications, and should include for consideration a new bridge over the River Neb providing pedestrian access onto the public road."
"...The proposed lighting will, I hope, greatly improve the situation for bats because currently there are floodlights on poles, one of which lights the footbridge from the mill side of the river, but also lights the river below it, potentially breaking off Daubenton's bat movements which naturally run up and down the river, as they forage from the water surface and maintain territories along stretches of this river. This species only comes out to forage once it is very dark. The plans suggest a more considered scheme than the current one, lighting the bits that they want lit, with less wastage into the surrounding areas, though the plans actually give no indication of the degree, or otherwise, of light spillage. They only show the levels of lighting modelled within the developed area to be lit and cut out the areas adjacent that may be affected. I recommend that such plans should show the changes to lighting proposed, by showing the light levels in all areas that are affected, not just the area that the applicant is interested in, a matter which you might raise with all of the planning officers.
It no doubt suffices to state here that I recommend that the lighting be restricted to the areas of interest and that the river itself be kept dark at night. The lighting at the bridge is of most interest in this respect but also the parking areas if the lights are not adequately directed or blinded."
| Situation LUX | |
| Night time on a dark landscape (remote area, national park) | <1 |
| Night time in a rural location | 1 |
| Night time on an urban street (suburban) | 5 |
| Night time in an urban street (town or city centre) | 10 |
| Flood lighting on a stone building | 60 |
| Evening televised football match (at pitch level) | 1600 |
locations (i.e. application site). The conclusions of these reports seem to suggest that 5 lux is the minimum light level for a rural open car park.
6.4 The submission induces two separate sites and therefore the plans show lighting illuminance levels of both sites. The car park would have an average of 4.4 lux, whilst the lighting along the paths of the garden would have an average of 11 lux. The Car parking lighting will be most apparent from the Poortown Road, although given the lighting levels would be less than 5 lux which is the minimum light level for a rural open car park it is considered the proposal would be acceptable. It is considered that the amount and the level of lighting would be appropriate and provide a safer environment for pedestrians coming and going to their vehicles in the car park.
6.5 In relation to the garden footpath this will unlikely to be very apparent from the Poortown Road, given the lighting is low level and due to a boundary wall and landscaping which runs along the northern boundary of the site. The lighting will be apparent from Mill Road which runs immediately to the south of the site. Existing landscaping will help reduce the appearance of light, but during night periods the lights will be apparent. The average illumination along the footpath would be between 1-5 lux, which again is considered appropriate and would provide a safer environment for pedestrians walking to and from the site.
6.6 It is also considered given the illumination levels proposed, the modest amount of lighting, position of the lights, and the distance from neighbouring residential properties, it is considered the impact would be low and not significant to warrant a refusal.
6.7 In terms of the appearance of the actually physical appearance of the structure of the light standards, the car park lights would have the greatest impact, given the lights proposed along the bridge and within the garden are very modest in height and size. Overall, it is considered that the four, 5.1 metre high light columns in the car park would not result in a significant visual impacts, given there position in relation to mature trees and the height and width of the lights.
7.1 Overall, it is considered the proposals would comply with the relevant policies of the Isle Of Man Strategic Plan therefore it is recommended that the application be approved.
8.1 It is considered that the following parties that made representations to the planning application 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:
German Parish Commissioners
The Senior Biodiversity Officer (DEFA)
8.2 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.
Recommended Decision: Permitted
C: Conditions for approval N: Notes attached to conditions R: Reasons for refusal O: Notes attached to refusals
The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.
This approval relates to the amendment of external lighting scheme approved under PA 09/01880/B as proposed in the submitted documents and drawings 100, 102, 103, and 104 all received on 13th November 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: 19/12/12
Signed: Arthur 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
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