A nail studio in St Helens will not have to be taken down after a retrospective planning application was granted permission.
Built over lockdown to ensure the business could be as Covid-secure as possible, the outbuilding used as a nail studio on St Michael’s Road enables Emma Groves, the applicant, to continue to run her business with clients no longer entering her home.
The application was submitted to the Isle of Wight Council after the small building was constructed in the garden last year, originally thought to be covered by permitted development rights.
If the permission was not granted, Mrs Groves said in planning documents she may not have been able to run her business, which has been running from her house for four years, any longer.
The application drew 2 objections both saying commercial businesses are not suitable for residential gardens and should be on the high streets instead, as previously reported by Island Echo.
One said neighbours were disturbed by lighting, the garden was not big enough for a building of that size and that it was out of keeping with the other backyard buildings in the street.
They also said it would devalue neighbouring properties and set a precedent for similar proposals to be granted but the council’s planning officers said they were not issues for consideration and any similar proposals would be determined on their own merits.
16 supportive comments were left on the application though saying small businesses should be supported, the business already operated from the premises so there would be no additional traffic or parking impacts and the building was not visible from the street.
Comments also said the noise from the salon is very low and other businesses already operate in the road, with no objections made to them in the past.
The council’s environmental health department also had no objection to the application but recommended conditions be installed relating to external lighting and hours of operation.
In the planning officers report they say the building is in keeping with the residential nature of the site and surrounding area while the business is low key, not having a detrimental impact.
They said despite the concerns raised about disturbances to neighbours, they are ‘satisfied any noise or disturbance would be minimal, akin to the use of similar domestic outbuildings.’
Planning officers permitted the development with conditions stating the building would only be allowed to be used as a nail studio and nothing else, blinds or curtains should be fitted and drawn when it is dark outside and can only operate between 9am and 8pm.
To stop ‘unacceptable impacts’, outdoor lighting should also not cause light pollution to neighbours and sensors adjusted so they are only activated by people on their property.
Well done & good luck with your future buisiness.
Thank goodness the planners approved the shed, now i can open my bar in the garden shed.
Man near me operates a sawmill from his shed. Vans driving up in middle of night to pick up planks and logs Seems anyone can do anything nowadays and get away with it. Don’t you have to have a special licence or something to run a business from your home?
Bit of common sense from the planners. Good luck to them.
Does this mean that she will have to pay business rated council tax? Not a criticism and i hope she does well. Just interested as it might effect my own plans
Good result ! May your business go from strength to strength Emma .. really pleased for you.
Good news hope it all works out for you
Hope all goes well for Mrs Groves So glad common sense prevailed and she had so much support.
It’s the size of a shed, it is a shed… Some people will moan about anything!
Quite frankly shame on those who objected, clearly this young lady was not just going to sit on her backside during lockdown and wait for handouts nor reap the benefits of lockdown and furlough, she had an idea and she made something of it and started her own business. This world has too many jealous people , leave the woman alone and instead of those objecting behind their twitching curtains maybe be the bigger one and wish her success in her business venture,
Good, glad the lady can continue – as for the neighbours – perhaps they could live and let live.
Bloody hell, common sense has prevailed. To the neighbor, if you don’t like it, build your fence higher.
Or move to the middle of a field.
Good on her best of luck with the business least she is working unlike many
Great news …
Why would anyone complain when someone is working hard to make a living instead of scrounging off of society …
Wishing you all the best in your business …
Feel sorry for her immediate neighbours. I wonder if the supporters were her clients or friends of hers? It’s alright for the planners to just go on allowing things like this, they don’t have to live next door to all these unsuitable applications they give the green light to. And before anyone dares to suggest let the neighbours move if they don’t like it, why should people have to keep moving because of unpleasant neighbours? Don’t like noise? Just move! So they move and get new noisy neighbours, so have to move again. No. People should be protected against things like this that are just wrong.
Let me guess your her neighbour who complained in the first place
Well your guess is entirely wrong. I read the complaints and it resonated with me, especially about the light shining on their bedroom wall, an intrusion especially if someone is resting and needs peace and quiet. No doubt will be some noise as well with women coming and going, I know how loud and shrill voices can be, so wound up and excitable at times. (And before anyone assumes I’m a man, I’m not, just don’t feel the need to be loud and shrill like so many do.) So yes, I feel sorry for her neighbours. I’m guessing they may have a lot to put up with.
How is it really going to affect the neighbours? Its a nail salon not exactly noisy or anti social.
Have you never heard the loud and shrill excitability of some voices with their greetings and farewells? Look how close it is to the neighbours. I wouldn’t want to live next door to it.