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PLANNING OFFICERS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT TRAFFIC SO CLOSE TO A SCHOOL BUT HEARD THE BUSINESS WOULD BE "VERY SMALL-SCALE". 12:55, 30 May 2025Updated 12:56, 30 May 2025 A beauty

therapist can use a garden building beside her house as a salon, after councillors heard that planning concerns were "overkill". Planning officers had recommended refusing

permission for the small salon behind a house on Shannon Drive, Falkirk, as it is on a bend and close to a primary school, with limited parking. Members of Falkirk Council's planning

committee were told this week that it would require class 1A planning permission, which officers feared could lead to other businesses being able to use the site in the future. READ MORE:

SAFETY ISSUES DELAY OPENING OF FALKIRK PLAYPARK NAMED IN MEMORY OF YOUNG POLICEMAN WHO DIED Article continues below But agent Ronan McGirr told the committee that the application was for

very small-scale use, a few days a week, with no more than one customer at a time. He said: "She's just a one-person business - she doesn't employ anyone, it's just

herself. "The fact that it's being taken as Class 1A commercial use is overkill. "This is a part-time business at the back of her house!" Mr McGirr said the concerns

about parking were also unfounded. "I think the requirement for three spaces is also overkill. "It is a very spacious driveway for a domestic house, but there will only ever be one

person needing to park a car and there is plenty of parking in this area." The applicant, Lisa Edmondson, told members that she has no plans to expand her business and customers will

be there strictly by appointment only. She is very aware of how busy the area is at pick-up and drop-off times for the school and assured members she would not have clients either arriving

or leaving at those times. Planning officers warned councillors that it would be difficult to enforce conditions but if members wanted to grant permission these could be considered due to

the exceptional circumstances. Several councillors agreed that they wanted to find a "pragmatic solution" that would allow the applicant to go ahead with her plans but ensure that

no bigger, busier businesses used the permission in the future. They agreed that exceptional circumstances meant they could attach a condition that the outbuilding could by the applicant

only and restricted to the use of a beauty salon. Article continues below FOR MORE FALKIRK STORIES, SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER HERE.