Roselawn beauty salon planning application rejected by Council
by P. Lanner

Residents of Roselawn Road have breathed an initial sigh of relief following the decision of Fingal County Council to reject an application for planning permission to retain an unauthorised beauty parlour in the ground floor of No. 96 Roselawn Road.

As reported in the last edition of Community Voice, Caroline Armstrong and her husband Glen Patten had purchased the house last year and proceeded to convert the ground floor into a beauty treatment business. When they were ordered to cease trading by the county council’s enforcement section an application was lodged to retain the unauthorised use.

In the application the couple’s architect claimed that his clients “purchased the property with a view to moving into it as the main family residence. She [Ms. Armstrong] also had the idea of opening up her own beauty salon business and thought the house would be ideal for this use.”

However according the Council’s Planning Officer “during my site visit, I was shown the reception and treatment rooms, however it also appeared that the remainder of the ground floor was in use as part of the beauty salon. There also appeared to be more than one therapist working when I visited, which, when taken with the increased floor area in use for the beauty salon, significantly intensifies the use which is being carried on there.”

The Planning Officer also reported that “the majority of the ground floor appears to be in use as the beauty salon. This is not considered to be small-scale or subordinate to the main use of the property. Furthermore, the applicant does not live in the house at present.”

As a result of this report, the county council refused permission on the grounds that the business “would seriously injure the amenities of the adjacent residential property...it would also endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard because of its location and would militate against the proper development and viability of the nearby Roselawn neighbourhood shopping centre and would be contrary to the proper planning and development of the area.”

The council rejected the application even though local Fianna Fáil councillor, Brenda Clifford had lobbied for the applicants claiming that “the establishment in question is an addition to this area as it is providing a professional and valued facility that is being used by residents of the area.”

One of the owners, Glen Patten, contacted Community Voice after the last article appeared to complain about “the invasion of our privacy.” Despite the comments of the planning officer, he claimed that his family (of 5) fully intended to live in the house alongside the beauty salon. “We have a date in mind to move in,” said Mr. Patten who also claimed that neighbours were “bullying” and “harassing” him and his wife.

He also claimed that the article in Community Voice was incorrect as there was a kitchen downstairs in the house as well as a dining room. However for the family to use the kitchen it would be necessary to pass through one of the treatment rooms which might not prove too popular with clients if they were to be disturbed every time Mr. Patten wanted to make a cup of tea.

Despite the council’s rejection of the planning application, it is unlikely that neighbours will see an end to the beauty parlour in the immediate future. In his conversation with Community Voice, Mr. Patten indicated that he would be appealing to an Bórd Pleanála and “we will go as far as the Supreme Court, if we have to,” he claimed.

So even though the council has previously instructed Ms. Armstrong to close the business and has now refused them planning permission, the business can continue to operate until such time as all the various appeals are concluded and that, as most people know can take a long time.

Community Voice, Media House, Church Avenue, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15
Phone +353 1 822 1432 -  Fax +353 1 640 4444
info@communityvoice.ie

All content and images are © Perceptions[Publicity and Event Management] Limited. All rights reserved
Site developed by Vincent Cahill