Councillors have unanimously granted an appeal for a beauty salon to be established in a residential cul de sac.
Sheila Kellett hoped to leave her stressful NHS job to set up an aesthetics clinic in a converted garage at her Milnathort home.
But her dreams were thwarted by Perth and Kinross Council in July 2022 when planners refused her planning application to partly change the use of the residential property.
Officers called it ‘detrimental’
Perth and Kinross Council’s local review body was asked to review the slightly revised plans for the Croftwynd property this week.
The application to establish a two-treatment room beauty salon with two members of staff was deemed too large scale for the residential development.
The original plan was for both Sheila and her daughter to work at the beauty salon. There were no objections to the plans.
But planning officers refused them and concluded it would have a “detrimental” impact on the residential area. However they did add that a single-person run business “may be acceptable”.
The report of handling stated: “Whilst it is considered a single person operating a business from home may be acceptable in some locations in this case the proposal is much more and forms a beauty salon business premise from within a dwelling within a residential cul-de-sac.”
Daughter no longer working on premises
Mrs Kellett appealed the decision. She told PKC’s local review body the business plans had since been revised with her daughter no longer intending to work on the premises having instead pursued an alternative career path.
Mrs Kellett told councillors of both the health and environmental benefits she foresaw from working from home as well as the importance of staying in a neighbourhood both she and her husband love.
She said: “I feel my mental health is suffering due to my current, high stress job in the NHS, and I believe I could significantly improve this by being my own boss working from home.
Sheila added: “I have a fairly lengthy commute to my current place of work which makes for a very long working day, adds to my general stress levels, particularly in the winter, and increases my carbon footprint.”
‘People are now looking to work from home’
The three councillors reviewing her case at the Monday, January 16 meeting of the local review body were sympathetic.
Convener Bob Brawn said: “Beauty salons are normally in a High Street location. It’s unusual to see something like this in a residential area.
“That said, people are now looking to work from home since the pandemic to try and utilise the ability to save travelling.
“Having visited the site my thoughts are I’m inclined to allow this but with certain provisions.”
Approval for one person
Cllr Brawn called for the approval to be for one person and that should the employee/applicant move away so too would the permission.
He also sought to set a limit on time and to grant the application for a temporary period of time.
He said: “I know that there has been no objections from neighbours but once it’s up and running things could change so I think – if we could – we have a temporary approval of this.”
He said this would allow neighbours a chance for recourse.
Bailie Mike Williamson and Cllr Grant Stewart were in agreement.
After some discussion it was agreed to limit the hours of operation from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and on Saturdays from 9am to 12pm.
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