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Approval Granted For St Helens Nail Studio - So Woman Can Continue Her Business

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 two objections both saying commercial businesses are not suitable for residential gardens and should be on the high streets instead.

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.

Sixteen 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.

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