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Case Officer: Mr Edmond Riley Photo Taken: 10.10.2013 Site Visit: 10.10.2013 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation
1.1 The application site is the curtilage of 22 Castle Street, Douglas, which is a two-storey, mid-terrace retail unit. The application site is situated to the eastern side of the pedestrianised Castle Street, and is occupied by the Joe Jennings Bookmakers. At the ground floor, the unit is dominated by its corporate colours of green (that surrounds the doors and windows and provides the signage backdrop) and yellow and white for the lettering. Two doors sit either side of two large window frames; both the doors and the window frames have arched wooden frames at the top and timber panels with raised beading below.
1.2 The built environment in the immediate area is characterised by a variety of uses, architectural styles and finishings; adjacent is a hairdresser and restaurant, with the former presenting a contemporary shopfront characterised by significant glazing and the latter very much more traditional in that it presents what appears to be the original shopfront complete with windows with glazing bars and timber panels with painted, raised beading.
2.1 Approval is sought for a replacement shopfront, which would see a new window frame (to replace the existing two) and two new doors. A replacement sign is also proposed; this would be 0.1m higher and 0.5m wider than the existing, which measures 0.7m high by 2.1m wide. This element of the proposal, which would see the sign affixed to the fabric of the building, is considered to have deemed consent under Schedule 3 of the Advertisement Regulations and is therefore not assessed in this Report.
3.1 The application site has been the subject of several previous planning applications, one of which is considered to be specifically material in the assessment of the current application:
This application referred to a projecting sign above the existing shopfront; on the site visit, it was evident that this had been installed.
| Application No.: | 13/91013/B |
| Applicant: | Joe Jennings Ltd |
| Proposal: | Installation of a replacement shop front |
| Site Address: | 22 Castle Street Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 2EZ |
4.1 The application site is in an area zoned as "Predominantly Shopping" identified on the Douglas Local Plan 1998. No written statement accompanies the Douglas Local Plan. 4.2 In terms of Strategic Plan, two policies are considered relevant: Strategic Policy 5 and General Policy 2. 4.3 The relevant extract from Strategic Policy 5 states that: 'New development, including individual buildings, should be designed so as to make a positive contribution to the environment of the Island'. 4.4 The relevant extract from General Policy 2 is: '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, and (c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape'.
5.1 Douglas Borough Council has no objection. 5.2 Highways Division do not oppose as it has no traffic management, parking or road safety implications. 5.3 Douglas Development Partnership advise that they have reservations over the proposal but raise no objection.
6.1 Taken together, Strategic Policy 5 and General Policy 2 are clear that proposed development should not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape and should be designed so as to make a positive contribution to the Island's built environment. 6.2 As noted, the application site has some attractive and traditional design features that are welcome, and worthy of retention, in the context of Douglas' main shopping street. The Planning Division contacted the applicant with concerns about the proposed design and the potentially detrimental effect that it would have on the streetscene. While the agent prepared a drawing that showed the arches being retained above two window panes rather than the originally proposed single frame, the applicant was clear that one of the main reasons for the application is to open up the window and thereby give it a "more modern look", which the agent's amended design would, he stated, fail to do. As such, this Report's assessment is based on the original drawings submitted. 6.3 It is considered that the loss of the existing shop front's fairly traditional character and appearance, typified by the arches and stall risers, would be unfortunate. The existing shopfront is in relatively good repair and is not considered to need replacement. The proposed shopfront, with its large plate glass windows and square features, would not be sympathetic to the more attractive elements of built environment in the Castle Street area, and would therefore not provide a positive contribution to the built environment of the Island. While there are contemporary shopfronts in the nearby vicinity, it is considered that these are not particularly successful when read against the more traditional shopfronts nearby, and also the
relevant Strategic Plan policies. The existence of inadequate design in the vicinity of the application site should not be taken as a reason to approve further poor design. 6.4 As such, the proposal is considered to conflict with General Policy 2 (b) and (c) and Strategic Policy 5, in that it would cause harm to public amenity by not respecting the streetscene within which it sits, and nor would it provide a positive contribution to the built environment of the Island.
7.1 On the basis that the proposed replacement shopfront would cause harm to the streetscene, a recommendation of refusal is made.
8.1 The local authority, Douglas Borough Council, is, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2013, paragraph 6 (4) (e), considered an "interested person" and as such should be afforded party status. 8.2 The Department of Transport Highways and Traffic Division, is, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2013, paragraph 6 (4) (d), considered an "interested person" and as such should be afforded party status. 8.3 Douglas Development Partnership is not considered to have sufficient interest to be awarded party status in this instance.
Recommended Decision: Refused
Date of 31.10.2013 Recommendation:
Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal
N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal
R 1. The proposed replacement shopfront would not retain the traditional design features of the existing property, and is therefore not considered to respect the site and its surroundings, and would thereby have an adverse impact on the character of the townscape, contrary to General Policy 2 (b) and (c) of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan (2007).
R 2. The proposed replacement shopfront would not, by virtue of its inappropriate design, make a positive contribution to the built environment of the Island, contrary to Strategic Policy 5 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan (2007).
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 : Refused Date : 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
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