Planning Development Control Committee - 15 October 2013 Report Item 3

Application No: 13/98768/ADV Advertisement Consent

Site: Former Little Chef, Picket Post, Ringwood, BH24 3HH

Proposal: 6 No. internally illuminated signs; 6 No. non illuminated signs

Applicant: MCDONALD'S RESTAURANT LTD.

Case Officer: Katie Pearce

Parish: ELLINGHAM HARBRIDGE AND IBSLEY

1. REASON FOR COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

Previous Committee consideration.

2. DEVELOPMENT PLAN DESIGNATION

No specific designation

3. PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN POLICIES

CP6 Pollution CP8 Local Distinctiveness DP1 General Development Principles

4. SUPPLEMENTARY PLANNING GUIDANCE

Not applicable

5. NATIONAL PLANNING POLICY FRAMEWORK

Sec 7 - Requiring good design Sec 11 - Conserving and enhancing the natural environment

6. MEMBER COMMENTS

None received

7. PARISH COUNCIL COMMENTS

Ellingham, Harbridge & Ibsley Parish Council: Recommend permission but will accept a delegated decision:

• An assessment of the ISO calculations report is actioned when the installation of all the signs is completed.

1 8. CONSULTEES

8.1 Land Drainage (NFDC): No comment

8.2 Highway Authority (HCC): No objections

8.3 Highways Agency: No objections

9. REPRESENTATIONS

9.1 None received

10. RELEVANT HISTORY

10.1 Eight internally illuminated signs and six non-illuminated signs (98259) split decision - 24 May 2013

11. ASSESSMENT

11.1 The application site comprises of a former Little Chef restaurant which is located just off the A31 at Picket Post Ringwood in a sensitive area of the Forest. To the south west of the site is a petrol filling station and to the north, east and north west of the site is the open forest which is designated as a site of international value for nature conservation. This application seeks advertisement consent for various illuminated and non-illuminated signs.

11.2 The previous application (our reference 13/98259) for eight internally illuminated signs and six non-illuminated signs received a split decision, granting planning permission for the proposed non-illuminated signs and internally illuminated directional signs (welcome and goodbye signs), and refusing the hero poster board sign and the four totem signs. These signs were refused because:

"The proposed totem signs and hero poster board sign, by reason of their siting and excessive size, would result in a proliferation of signs which would have an unacceptable visual impact and clutter the appearance of the site to the detriment of the rural character of the locality. Furthermore, by reason of their cumulative illumination, the signs would add to night time sky glow and erode the rural darkness of the National park to the detriment of the visual amenities of the area."

11.3 This application differs in that the number of internally illuminated signs have been reduced from eight to six and the size of totem four - poster board has also been reduced. As this application is for advertisement consent the application is assessed under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulation 2007 which allows for only 'amenity' and 'public safety' to be material considerations.

2 Proposed illuminated signs:

11.4 It is proposed for six internally illuminated signs which would be located within the site. The majority of these signs would be associated with the proposed drive thru lane. There have been discussions with the Agent since the submission of this application and amended plans have been accepted during the process of the application resulting in the submitted scheme.

11.5 Permission has already been granted by Members for three of these signs (directional signs x2 and the gateway sign) as it was considered that due to their positioning they would not appear visually intrusive within their setting.

11.6 In terms of the remaining three signs, this would consist of three promotional boards. Two of these signs would have a height of 2.4m and the poster board sign would have a height of 2.5m and a width of just under 2m. It is considered that the reduction in the number of signs and the decrease in the size of the poster board is a significant improvement over the previously submitted scheme which would overcome the previous concerns raised by the Authority in relation to visual clutter and night time sky glow.

11.7 With regards to public safety, the Highways Agency and the HCC Highways Engineer have raised no objections to these signs.

11.8 The Parish Council have supported the proposal but have also requested that a condition is attached to any consent given requiring an assessment of the ISO calculations report to be carried out after the installation of the signs. An ISO calculations report has not been submitted with the application, however notwithstanding this, it is a requirement of the consent that the development is carried out in accordance with the plans and information submitted with the application. Details of the luminance levels have been included on the plans and as such it is not considered necessary or reasonable to attach this condition.

Proposed non-illuminated signs:

11.9 It is also proposed for several non-illuminated signs which would be located around the building. These signs were previously granted consent and as such it would unreasonable to raise any objections.

Conclusion:

11.10 To conclude, it is considered that the proposed internally illuminated and non-illuminated signs would have an acceptable impact upon the visual amenities of the locality and public safety. As such it is recommended that permission be granted.

3 12. RECOMMENDATION

Grant Subject to Conditions

Condition(s)

1. Any advertisement displayed, and any site used for the display of advertisements, shall be maintained in a clean and tidy condition to the reasonable satisfaction of the local planning authority.

2. Any structure or hoarding erected or used principally for the purpose of displaying advertisements shall be maintained in a safe condition.

3. Where an advertisement is required under these Regulations to be removed, the removal shall be carried out to the reasonable satisfaction of the local planning authority.

4. No advertisement is to be displayed without the permission of the owner of the site or any other person with an interest in the site entitled to grant permission.

5. No advertisement shall be sited or displayed so as to obscure, or hinder the ready interpretation of, and road traffic sign, railway signal or aid to navigation by water or air, or so as otherwise to render hazardous the use if any highway, railway, waterway or aerodrome (civil or military).

4 41 41 88 94 00m 00m 90 92

106600m 106600m

64 64

62 62

60 60

105800m 105800m 41 41 94 88 90 92 00m 00m

New Forest National Park Authority Lymington Town Hall, Avenue Road, Lymington, SO41 9ZG

Tel: 01590 646600 Fax: 01590 646666 Ref: 13/98768/ADV

Date: 02/10/2013