Hartshill hairdresser asked to meeting to discuss parking problems at salon

A Hartshill hairdresser is being urged to sit down with councillors from the county, borough and parish to try and come up with ideas to ease parking problems near her salon.

Permission was granted this week for the owner of Sammy Jo's, on Church Road, to extend the living accommodation above her business premises but members of North Warwickshire Borough Council's planning board called for something to be done to address the issue of parked cars nearby.

Cllr Glennys Roberts, of Hartshill Parish Council, spoke at the meeting to highlight the problem which she said had had an impact on funerals taking place at the nearby cemetery.

She said: "As a parish council we are objecting to any increase in the size of the property because almost certainly that will increase vehicles attached to the property and there is nowhere for them to park.

"We have had numerous problems when hearses arrive. In the past our cemetery keeper has had to go into the salon and ask people to come out quite often with rollers in their hair and silver paper.

"We cannot have a situation where a hearse cannot access the cemetery. It causes a traffic hazard. I would be happy to meet with anybody but how we resolve this physically I just do not know."

Planning agent Paul Lyon said that his client recognised there were issues but added: "This is a planning application and my client can't be expected to resolve highways issues. If there are highways issues then there is a process to deal with that but it doesn't form part of our application."

And that was the point raised my Cllr Dave Parsons (Lab, Polesworth East) who added: "I do understand the problems of parking there, in particular to the cemetery, but those can be addressed. I honestly can't see any planning objections to what the owner has asked for."

The plans, which will see a first floor extension and slight amendments to existing ground floor extensions, were approved by a majority vote.

Committee chairman Cllr Mark Sampson (Con, Curdworth) added: "Having seen the site, I appreciate the issues and genuinely feel for residents and equally I can see the applicant's case. There is a problem and I hope a meeting between the applicant, parish council, county council and local members can take place because that may well lead to some form of alleviation of the problem."