A planning committee meeting is being held tomorrow regarding the possibility of a new tattoo studio in Sutton after a councillor de-delegated the application.
Liberal Democrat councillor Jill Whitehead believes a tattoo shop is not a suitable business for the vacant building on Westmead Road.
A council meeting will discuss the application at the Civic Offices in St Nicholas Way on Wednesday, December 13.
Cllr Whitehead has said the “tattoo parlour is not the type of business to be encouraged in this road which already suffers from an excess of fast food shops”.
One of my local Lib Dem councillors is objecting to a planning app for a tattoo parlour in a derelict shop. She doesn't want those types around here. Jesus. pic.twitter.com/S9v2YfPKlc
— Jacques Oeuf (@JacquesOeuf) December 11, 2017
Six letters were submitted on the application with four of them being complaints.
Cited objections included parking congestion and a tattoo shop not being an "appropriate business for a residential area".
The two supporting letters argued it would encourage other businesses to join a location which has "excellent" public transport.
A comment on the application read: "Tattoo parlour has entered mainstream life. Most young and many older people have tattoos these days so this type of business should not be regarded as inappropriate.
"If planning permission is not given, the property is likely to remain derelict and will promote a general feeling of neglect within the shopping parade."
Sutton Guardian has attempted to contact cllr Whitehead for further comment.
A spokesman for HexenHaus Tattoo in Carshalton told Sutton Guardian: "We dont agree with the councilers comments and views on tattoos and people with tattoos, our customers come from every walk of life and social ladder.
"However, we do agree with her not allowing this studio to open, as there are far too many in the borough now.
"This is not the industry to have a shop on every corner or shop parade. Unfortunately with the increase of tattoo tv programmes and the availabilty to now buy tattoo equipment on such websites as ebay, we are seeing a massive rise in poor quality work.
"We have been here for nearly 20 years and seen studios opening every few months in the borough, which is why we agree they should not allow another."
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