A nail studio in a St Helens back garden, built over lockdown to ensure Covid security, is applying for retrospective planning permission – but a neighbour is not happy.
Applying to use the outbuilding as a nail studio in her back garden on St Michael’s Road, Emma Groves is trying to keep her business going after all the challenges thrown at it over the course of the Covid pandemic.
In planning documents submitted to the Isle of Wight Council, Mrs Groves said her husband built the small building in their garden in June last year as she is no longer able to carry out treatments in her home, which she has been doing for the past four years, under Covid regulations.
The outbuilding was originally thought to be covered by permitted development rights, which allows homeowners to do certain work without needing to apply for planning permission, but Mrs Groves said she has since learnt that is incorrect, which has lead to the retrospective application.
With up to 15 clients per week, being served no later than 8pm, Mrs Groves said if planning permission is not granted then she may not be able to run her business any more and will have to find a different job which may be difficult as it needs to be flexible.
One neighbour has already submitted an objection to the nail studio, saying Covid should not be used as an excuse for the future and they feel a commercial business should not be allowed in a residential garden.
They said on dark nights the lights from the studio illuminate their back bedroom and they are worried the outbuilding may devalue their property, with potential buyers ‘being put off’ by the fact there is a nail studio next door.
They argue the garden is not big enough for the building and it is in the wrong position, not in keeping with the rows of summer houses and sheds already along the street.
To view the application, 21/00657/FUL, you can view the council’s planning register.
Comments will be accepted until 17th May.
Some people really should just mind their own business! ..
Sounds like sour grapes to me….
There’s some nasty people about. Let the girl earn a living you horid person.
Typical St Helens I’m afraid – so above everyone else, somehow counting themselves into Seaview/Bembridge upper class (and even that is a myth). I really don’t think his poxy 3 bed semi will lose value due to the presence of a shed in a neighbours garden. Go and get a life.
Some people have nothing better to do than try to destroy peoples dreams and ambition, it’s not a nightclub in the garden with people being loud and causing trouble…….get a grip and I hope the person who has objected to it has read this comment……go get a life and go complain about more serious things in the world
Let this poor woman run her business in peace. Some neighbour she has, if the authorities stamp on her aspirations, it will be a disgrace. I thought this country encouraged innovation. No disrespect but how is it going to devalue the houses down that road? Not exactly Knightsbridge is it?
A true nimby ,light’s light up their bedroom !!!! Business finishes @ 8pm ????? What time do you go to bed?????
Come off it someone is using their initiative and not sponging off society and you kick off I would be more than happy if it was my neighbour trying to make a go of thing’s ……
In this current climate with the pandemic let’s get thing’s in perspective !!! A nail salon ooh scary …..
Miserable toads ! It’s a row of ex council houses not pretty country cottages.As to the light shining in back bedroom window, buy some curtains! Why be like that when somebody is trying to get on in life .
15 clients per week is not a business. If she wants to run a business, she should get business premises and do it properly. There are plenty of empty shops around
What a pathetic comment
I hear you brother, also what about all that extra traffic and not to mention parking! What about the poor blokes privercy, I assume he is in his twilight years and deserves more than being kept up all hours listening to all those girls chatting there drivell moaning about there men, and make up, they are all probably on the Chardonnay, people are so selfish! This shed belongs on a industrial estate! I bet she don’t even pay taxes!!! Grerrrrrr!!!!
Well that really has got the St Helens tongues going.
Some people really do need to keep their beak their own side of the nest. This lady is doing her best to keep her head above water by at least making an attempt to earn her own money instead of whelking of the state and some busy body tries to mess things up for her. As far as someone buying their property is concerned, if they decline because of a neighbours outbuilding that was already in situ, they can’t have been all that interested in buying the place anyway. Just pure spite, nastiness and probably a bit of jealousy from someone who can’t stand to see someone getting on, especially someone younger.
Who ever this neighbour is they won’t be getting any free nail treatments eh?
I understand some of the comments made, however I feel that there does need to be a separation between home and business. A home should be somewhere to love, relax and feel comfortable in. If you wish to run a business then their are plenty of vacant premises in High Streets that are currently available for rent. Perhaps if some of the commentators lived next door to a ‘business’ they may have a different view?
Open a shop up in the high street to do 15 customers a week????? The poor woman would be loosing money the time she has paid all the bills hence why shops in the high street are empty. She is part time and works hours to suit her.
As a start up business I think anyone would be hard pushed to afford the rent on the high street .. that’s why there are so many empty at present.
So you don’t agree with the governments work from home if you can policy then?
You going to pay her rent then idiot
I’ve heard it all now ! The ridiculous reasons for not letting someone try and make a success is beyond belief… I actually think the building looks nice it’s modern and fresh – not like some old wooden sheds in folks gardens.
I would be happy to go and have treatment in a salon like this – very personal and friendly I bet.
Neighbours wind your necks in please !
Suck it up Mr Reed and count your blessings that it isn’t a childcare business as you could have six kids running riot in that garden all day every day. You’d be begging her to open a nail studio instead.
I think they
re worrying unduly. A Blackout blind or two and 8pm latest seems fine. Not as if it's a constant barking dog, or loud exhaust at 6am, or a huge tv on the party wall booming through it, or smoking cannabis in the garden or......It could be worse, couldnt it! You dont need planning permission for all those i mentioned.It must be nice if all you have to worry about in your life is your next door neighbour having a small business in their garden . I think she has used her initiative ,to keep her business going in hard times so we’ll done , I can not see what the problem is this could be a summer house someone built in their garden, and could be used all evening for drinking ,so surely two people sat quietly having nails done is hardly too much disturbance . I think it looks presentable and not an eye sore for the neighbours. So stay positive and continue with your business plans .
Seriously? Some people need to get a grip! If anything this could increase her business, I for one would go to have my nails done by her purely for the fact its probably more COVID safe than the salons are. So many people live above or next to shops anyway so what’s the problem? The light in the bedroom? I’d also be putting up a security light too that goes off everytime a leaf blew past the sensor. It’s also st Helen’s, very popular for tourists, so a lot of traffic passing through and at night a lot of light from head lights. Try supporting your neighbour instead of complaining about her. At least she’s trying to make something of herself.
Hope she gets more customers because of this article to p off the misery living nextdoor
Well done, Mr. Groves, you’ve made a nice job of that little salon. And, Emma, please accept my sincere best wishes for a successful outcome to your planning application, and for continued success in your enterprise.
Here’s hoping that the interfering busbody next moves away soon, to certain streets in Sandown perhaps. Then they might really have neighbours worth objecting to!
Mr Groves made a lovely job of the shed. If they are unsuccessful in getting the planning permission then perhaps they could turn it into a bar, for personal use of course. Some nice lights, music – it could be lovely.
I bet if it was a caravan it would be fine! Leave the poor woman alone it is so annoying that the nosey neighbours get the hump because they cant get their way!
That’s the outbuilding lights left on 24-7 then..no law against that hahaha