Barbers without planning permission told to close

A council has threatened enforcement action against a barbershop which opened between two houses without planning permission.

City of Wolverhampton Council rejected plans to regularise planning permission for Fresh Look in Dudley Road, Blakenhall, citing factors such as noise and increased demand for parking.

The application, submitted six months ago, sought to remove a condition that the building could only be used as a lettings agent. The condition also restricts the premises closing time to 19:00 on week days and 17:00 at weekends.

But the council said removing the condition would result in more noise, extended hours and "longer periods of disturbance."

It warned if the barbershop did not close and equipment removed it would "take formal planning enforcement action in order to protect the interests of the amenity of the area".

"The proposal has an adverse impact on neighbouring amenities, the character of the area and highway safety in comparison to a lettings agent which is the permitted use for this site," the council's enforcement notice said.

The council's officers recommended the application was refused when its planning committee met earlier in June.

Their report added lifting the restriction would mean the building could be used for a "wide array of occupiers such as a cafe or restaurant, day nursery or light industrial use".

In comparison, a lettings agent was typically a quieter office use.

The authority's planners said Dudley Road already had "high volumes of traffic" and the barbershop had increased the number of vehicles being parked outside neighbouring properties.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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