PLANS for a village shop and salon near Penrith to provide an ‘essential’ community service are set to be given the go-ahead by the council.

Members of Eden local area planning committee for Westmorland and Furness Council are recommended to approve plans from Messers Jakeman to construct a building to host a village shop and a salon in the car park of the Sun Inn in Newton Reigny.

A report prepared for the planning committee states: “The proposed development would provide an essential community service and facility in an existing rural community which is currently not provided for. The proposal is considered to be in accordance with the development plan which is not outweighed by material considerations and therefore the application is recommended for approval.”

According to planning documents the detached stand-alone building would provide a small convenience shop as well as a hairdresser’s. The proposed building would have a maximum height of 2.5 metres with a mono pitch roof.

Catterlen Parish Council say they are in ‘agreement’ with the idea of a village shop but have received complaints from local residents regarding congestion caused by the overspill of cars from the Sun Inn onto neighbouring roads.

They state: “The parish council have received a number of letters of complaint from local residents with regard to this planning application, with concerns, due to the regular overspill of Sun Inn patron vehicles on to all the approach roads to the pub entrance, causing considerable congestion and inconvenience.

“In view of this persistent issue, The Catterlen Parish Council is in agreement with the idea of a village shop if this can be achieved by placing the proposed building in position elsewhere within the Sun Inn site, to enable no loss of the current available parking space.”

The local highways authority considers it ‘unlikely’ for there to be conflict arising in terms of parking   as the peak hours of use for the proposed shop and the pub will be different.

Planning documents say the village shop would have opening times of 8am to 12pm on Monday to Saturday to begin with and then moving forward the closing time could be extended to 5pm.

For the salon opening hours will be based on client bookings with a view to open Monday to Saturday 9am to 5 pm with potential for one possibly two nights extending to 7pm on a demand basis.

Members of Eden local area planning committee are expected to approve the plans on January 14 at Penrith Town Hall.