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Application No.: 25/00796/D Applicant: Mr Ben Dalglish Proposal: Erection of new permanent illuminated signage Site Address: 7 - 17 Wellington Street Douglas Isle Of Man IM1 2AS Planning Officer: Russell Williams Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 02.12.2025 _________________________________________________________________
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
The proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2 and General Policy 6 of the Strategic Plan and Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisement) Regulations 2013 having no adverse visual impact upon the streetscene or upon highway safety.
This approval relates to the submitted documents and drawing all received on 18th August and 10 October 2025: Location Plan Site Plan 9-Ten Media Supporting Documents and Plans _________________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status None _________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report
1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site comprises a multipurpose building on Wellington Street, Douglas, which is adjacent to the main pedestrianised shopping street in the city centre. Previously, the basement area of the building operated as a public bar & nightclub, which has been vacant since 2020. - 1.2 Various town centre-related uses exist in the area, with the application site building located adjacent a pedestrianized street connecting Duke Street to the east and Nelson Street to the west. A service yard exists to the rear (south) of the site. - 1.3 The site forms a vacant ground floor retail unit, with the wider building operating as several independent businesses, including a restaurant, retail stores & leisure facilities. - 1.4 The existing building comprises of a three storey block, with additional basement areas. The building frontage facing Wellington Street is finished with painted stone bands at Ground Floor Level up to First Floor, with painted render finishes at First and Second Floor Levels. Windows and doors to the Ground Floor units, and to the First and Second Floor windows are in powder coated aluminium. The building is finished with a slate covered pitched roof, with a central gable feature facing Wellington Street.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The application seeks planning permission for: - 2.2 the installation of 3 no illuminated signs and a logo projector to part of the property frontage at 7-17 Wellington Street, Douglas. - 2.3 The proposals will comprise:
3.1 The site is within an area designated as Mixed Use on the Area Plan for the East (map 5
3.2 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains the following policies that are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application: - 3.3 General Policy 2 - ; development will normally be permitted provided it meets the relevant criteria of (a) to (n). In this case (b) (g) (i) (m) (n) are considered most relevant relating to character of the area and highway safety. - 3.4 General Policy 6 - the display of external advertisements will be permitted on the site or building to which they relate provided they:
3.5 General Policy 7 - the display of external advertisements on sites or buildings other than those to which they relate will not generally be permitted.
4.1 Regulation 5 of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisement) Regulations 2013 states that the control of advertisement is only in the interest of amenity and public safety, in particular general characteristics of the locality, the safety of any person who may use the highway and potential obscuration of any traffic sign or signals. - 5.0 PLANNING HISTORY
5.1 The following application are of relevance 99/02334/B - Erection of building comprising two retail units café/bar and floors for leisure usage - 13 Jun 2000 - Permitted 00/02300/B - Additional use for Basement to be used for Night Club/Public House 24 May 2001 - Permitted 00/02299/B - Additional use for Ground Floor Level to include shop, café/bar or restaurant 24 May 2001 - Permitted 02/00134/B - Alterations to shop front, installation of new window and artwork to gable elevation and erection of advertisement sign - 11 Jun 2002 - Permitted 14/00675/B - Conversion of Ground Floor from Café/Bar to Disco/Nightclub - 28 Jul 2014 Permitted 19/00506/B - Alterations and Installation of Pizza vending machine - 25 Jul 2019 - Permitted 25/90721/B - Change of use of retail unit to food and drink place - 16 October 2025 Permitted
5.2 There have also been various application for signage approved at the site including 02/00387/D, 07/00635/D, 16/00950/D and 17/00038/D. - 6.0 REPRESENTATIONS
6.1 The following Statutory Consultees have been consulted and their responses can be summarised as follows:
Douglas City Council - No objection.
DOI Highway Services - After reviewing this Application, Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking. Notes to attach to permission: the overhanging sign will need a Section 69 overhanging licence from the DOI.
6.2 No representations have been received from members of the public. - 7.0 ASSESSMENT
7.1 The key considerations in the determination of the application are its impact on the proposed advertisements upon the character and appearance of the building and surrounding area.
7.2 The existing building has a somewhat tired appearance and contains two existing signs to the frontage that the proposed advertisements relate to. The existing signs comprise a nonilluminated fascia sign and an illuminated projecting sign.
7.3 The proposed advertisements relate to future occupier of this part of the site. The advertisements will be black, opal and grey in colour which, given the appearance of the surrounding area and intended redecorating of the frontage, are considered to be acceptable. - 7.4 The level of illumination, being internal, will not cause any significant harm to the character or appearance of the area and with this being a town centre location, there are other similar advertisements in the area, ensuring the proposals are in keeping with the immediate setting. - 7.5 The site does not front onto an active highway used by vehicles and is mainly pedestrian access, so the proposals will not cause any distraction or other possible harm to highway users.
8.1 The proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2 and General Policy 6 of the Strategic Plan and Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisement) Regulations 2013 having no adverse visual impact upon the street scene or upon highway safety. Therefore, it is recommended for an approval.
It should be clear whether the proposal is considered to comply with all development plan policies, to comply with some but not comply with others (and which is which) and what other material considerations (if any) are relevant. If the proposal is being determined other than in accordance with the development plan (whether approval or refusal) then this should be clearly explained.
9.1 The Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 sets out the process for determining planning applications (including appeals). It sets out a Right to Appeal (i.e. to submit an appeal against a planning decision) and a Right to Give Evidence at Appeals (i.e. to participate in an appeal if one is submitted).
9.2 Article A10 sets out that the right to appeal is available to:
9.3 Article 8(2)(a) requires that in determining an application, the Department must decide who has a right to appeal, in accordance with the criteria set out in article A10. - 9.4 The Order automatically affords the Right to Give Evidence to the following (no determination is required):
9.5 The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture is responsible for the determination of planning applications. As a result, where officers within the Department make
comments in a professional capacity they cannot be given the Right to Appeal.
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: 03.12.2025 Determining Officer Signed : J SINGLETON Jason Singleton Principal Planner
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