A pub, takeaway and shop owner plans to turn a former hairdressers into a micro-bar.

Manjinder Singh Jagpal, of Ingleby Barwick Land and Property Developments, has applied to Stockton Council for planning permission to change the use of the building on Clifton Avenue, Billingham, from a hairdressers’ to a “micro beer and wine bar”.

It is proposed to open the bar between 11am and 11pm Monday to Saturday, 12 noon to 10.30pm Sundays.

The property was last used as Salon K hairdressers and has been empty for five months.

The developer owns shop units at the Wolviston Court parade where Elliott’s Brew House, Robinson’s Fish & Chips, Blades Barber shop, Yum Yum Chinese takeaway, La Buono Pizza and Sainsbury Local mini-supermarket trade on Clifton Avenue, as well as the Wynyard pub.

A planning statement from Prism Planning says the proposals will have a positive economic impact and provide work, “as well as adding to the viability of the applicant’s local property portfolio”.

It says: “The applicant has a prospective tenant lined up who proposes to operate the premises as a micro beer and wine bar.

“It is envisaged that the conversion of the unit to a micro beer and wine bar should be completed within a three to six-month period during which time it will provide work for employees of local contractors in the fitting out of the premises.

It will provide an alternative community facility… where people can meet and socialise and will have a positive impact on the social dimension of the surrounding area.”

The developer says the area was buoyant and trading well, but the previous hairdressers’ closed on Christmas Eve 2022 as the business was “no longer economically viable, a sign of the challenging times”, and an alternative use was needed.

“Such an alternative has materialised with a prospective tenant coming forward wanting to operate the premises as a micro beer and wine bar,” says the statement.

“The proposed use of the application site as a micro beer & wine bar would return the unit to beneficial use and a use appropriate to a local centre in terms of its character and appearance.

Furthermore, it would bring additional vitality to this part of the local centre, particularly in the evenings.”

It says the surrounding three takeaways would benefit from trade with people heading home from the bar: “The proposed use of the application site could improve the viability of the three hot food takeaways.”

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The developer argues the bar would not harm the area and would have a limited impact on nearby residents, given activity already from the pub, supermarket and takeaways: “Indeed, we would venture to suggest that it could well have a beneficial impact.

“It is not considered that the proposed micro beer and wine bar would lead to any significant issues of noise or general disturbance being experienced by the occupiers of residential properties in the surrounding area.

"It is submitted that the proposed development is acceptable and represents an appropriate form of sustainable development for the site.”