Massage and beauty therapy at 8 Bank Cottages, Billington

What was proposed

Retrospective permission was sought to use a summer house for massage and beauty therapy and to install a pedestrian access gate.

“The application seeks retrospective consent for the change of use of the existing detached summer house to allow the applicant to work from home. The proposed use is for massage/beauty therapy (sui generis use class).”

“The application also seeks retrospective consent for the installation of a gated pedestrian access to the rear of the residential curtilage which would allow clients to visit the site without entering the main dwelling.”

Officer report

The site and its history

The site is a detached summer house in the rear curtilage of a home in a mainly residential area, with no relevant planning history.

“The application site relates to a detached summer house within the rear curtilage of 8 Bank Cottages in Billington. The surrounding area is predominantly residential in nature being typified largely of terraced houses.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval, finding the small-scale use acceptable in principle and unlikely to cause significant harm to residential amenity, appearance or highway safety.

“The application site lies within the settlement boundary of Billington, which is a Tier 1 settlement in the Core Strategy. The proposed development is therefore considered to be acceptable in principle, being a use which is not inappropriate in this area given its location adjacent to the A666 and being situated within a built- up context.”

“As such, given the modest nature of the development it is not considered that there would be any significant adverse impact on residential amenity and it would satisfy policy DMG1 of the Core Strategy. Particularly when compared with the typical activity of a residential dwelling.”

Officer report

What consultees and residents said

The parish council and highways authority raised no objection, while residents mainly objected to privacy, security, traffic, parking, sewerage and disturbance.

“Billington and Langho Parish Council raise no objection but request that the hours of operation be limited to 09.00 – 20.00 Mon – Fri, 10.00 – 16.00 on Sat. They consider the pedestrian gate to be a benefit to encourage customers to park on the A666 instead of behind Bank Cottages.”

“Breach of privacy • Security concerns with removal of hedgerow to accommodate pedestrian access • Sets precedent for business use • No foul sewerage • Increase in traffic and parking impact • Disturbance at unacceptable hours • Concerns over submitted hours not being accurate…”

Officer report

Who spoke

A speaker opposed the application, while a councillor spoke in support.

The committee’s decision

The committee granted planning permission with three recommended conditions and an additional condition restricting the use to the applicant residing at the property.

“GRANT planning permission subject to the following conditions (condition 4 being the additional condition requested by committee):-”

“The use hereby approved shall only be operated by the applicant ‘[name withheld] residing at 8 Bank Cottages. For the avoidance of doubt when the premises cease to be occupied by the applicant, or when the applicant no longer resides at 8 Bank Cottages, the use hereby permitted shall cease and all materials and equipment brought on to the premises in connection with the use shall be removed.”

Minutes