Town councillors want to see planning permission refused for “garish” alterations already carried out at a hair salon in Penrith’s Conservation Area.
Figaro Barber Ltd is seeking listed building consent and planning approval for the retention of alterations, and replacement of shopfront and access door, at the Market Square hairdressing salon, after it was damaged by vandalism.
Dave Knaggs, who proposed that the town council lodge an objection, said it looked a lot better when it had the recessed door as it was in keeping with the town’s Conservation Area.
“If we let this one go by it will give the green light to anybody who wants to do anything in that area to totally destroy the character of Penrith town centre,” said Mr Knaggs.
Charlie Shepherd, who chaired today’s Penrith Town Council planning meeting, said: “I have been and looked at this.
“To be honest, not only do I think it is out of character — it’s garish.”
Hilary Snell said: “What concerns me is that they have done the work and I don’t feel it is in keeping.
“I can understand why they have done it, they wanted more space in the shop, but actually as it was previously with the little walk-in-way is what a lot of shops in the centre of Penrith have, along with windows that are indented, and either side of it have kept the old doors and the old ways in.
“People should not be doing this work without getting agreement.”
It was agreed that an objection be lodged to the granting of planning permission and listed building consent.
Deputy town clerk Ros Richardson said if Eden Council refuse to grant planning approval the applicants will be asked to put the shop front back to the form it was in.
“This shop is one that is in the Penrith Conservation Area. The dominant form of frontage is wooden front and window surrounds with recessed doorways,” she said.
A statement accompanying the planning application says the previous timber/glazed shopfront was damaged by vandalism and required some replacement.
“The proposed change to the shopfront also omits the previous recessed doorway feature and repositions the door into the same plane as the shop front immediately onto the Market Square street frontage,” the statement says.
