Condemned hair salon in private Essex garden told it must close in a month

The owner of a back-garden hair salon has stepped up their fight to continue operating despite being given just one month to close. Earlier this year, Southend Council's development control committee voted against allowing the owners of 19 Blatches Chase, Eastwood, to continue using an outbuilding in their garden as a hair salon five days a week. The building, just feet away from a swimming pool, was installed without planning permission in 2011 and is immune to any enforcement action as it has been there longer than 10 years.

However, Southend Council's development control committee agreed on enforcement action to remove the business equipment from the outbuilding and use it for residential purposes only. The owner is currently appealing the refusal but has submitted a new retrospective application with reduced operational hours. If approved, the salon will open four days a week instead of five, it will have five clients a day instead of seven and there will be one part-time employee instead of two.



Read more: Calls for new houses to be built on car parks after new Essex town with 10k homes planned for greenbelt Read more: Slimming World dad loses six stone after family tragedy 'totally changed' his mindset The development committee will meet next Wednesday to debate the application. Planning officers have recommended it for approval. However, Paul Collins, Lib Dem councillor for Eastwood Park Ward, said he didn't think the revisions would be enough to satisfy residents.

He said: "I will go and speak on behalf of residents. I'll ask them what their view is but I certainly feel at the moment that they're not content with this proposal and they will want to represent their views. I will support them in that.

Despite the slight reduction in the application they still feel it's not in an appropriate position." "I think they will not be supportive of this and I'll make sure the committee knows that. It's still in the middle of a back garden amongst residential properties.

It's not ideally suited and that's their view so I shall tell the committee the residents are not happy and don't wish it to proceed." A planning officer's report to the committee said: "Having taken all material planning considerations into account, it is found that subject to compliance with the recommended conditions, the proposed development would be acceptable and compliant with the relevant planning policies and guidance.".