Beauty salon in Grange Villa community centre approved

Grange Villa Community Association's building in Grange Villa, Chester-le-Street will now house a beauty salon after plans were approved by Durham County Council on Monday.

The application was made by Grange Villa Community Enterprise and represented by Mrs Jean Blewitt.

The salon will operate in two rooms - formerly a consulting room and a lounge area - with only minor internal alterations planned, such as the installation of a separate entrance.

The salon's hours will be Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, and Saturday from 9am to 2pm.

Development must begin within three years from the date of approval.

Most read

• Peacocks store in Consett set for closure in October

• New owners for Pelaw Grange dog track in Chester-le-Street

• County Durham man suffered black eye in road-rage attack

Our flash sale is still on – 30% off an annual subscription. Get unlimited access to local news, enjoy our ad-free mobile and tablet app and read the replica of the paper on your device. Subscribe before it's too late!

The application was supported by the National Planning Policy Framework, which promotes economic growth, community health and safety, sustainable transport, and land use efficiency.

Proposals were backed by the County Durham Plan with policies supporting unallocated development, sustainable transport, and design standards.

Initially, there were concerns about limited parking at the community centre.

However, it was determined that the beauty salon would not generate significant additional traffic compared to the current community use.

The salon's hours fall outside peak traffic times, minimising the impact on residential parking.

The only external alteration will be replacing a window with French doors to create a separate entrance for the salon.

This design fits within the existing structure and complies with Policy 29.

The highways department raised no objections, and the spatial policy department supported the proposal, as parking concerns were resolved and the Nuisance Action Team did not anticipate any issues with noise or disruption to neighbouring properties.

There were no objections from neighbours, and three local councillors supported the project for its community and economic benefits.

The community centre currently hosts various activities like classes, meals, and local meetings, which will continue unaffected by the new beauty salon.

The site currently employs two full-time and three part-time staff members, with no change expected post-development.