A FORMER dental surgery could get a stylish makeover after a plan was submitted to change the site to a hair salon.

An application has gone in to change the former East Barn Surgery site, in Great Binfields Road, to a salon.

The site is a Grade II listed building so the application from Hook-based Spiral Hair Salon is only to alter the interior of the building.

A planning statement reads: “There will be no significant change to the property externally and only very minor changes internally. I will remove two stud walls on the ground floor to create an open space.

“Most of the salon furniture would be free standing with only mirrors fixed to the existing stud/dry lined walls and nothing would be attached to original fabrics.”

The current building dates back to 1973 and the applicant has proposed no impact will be made to the historical heritage of the building if planning permission is granted.

The planning statement adds: “There is no alteration proposed externally.

“The timber windows will need decoration and the roof is in need of some tiles.

“The guttering and down pipes need small repairs and painting.

“In time it is possible that some repointing will need to be carried out to some of the brickwork with approval of the listed building officer.

“There is also some stone work surrounding the lead windows which will need repairs.

“Internally the new work will be restricted to the areas that have been previously altered and this is shown on the submitted plans.”

There are also plans to introduce a disabled toilet to the ground floor of the site, with the first floor being allocated mainly for storage as due to the building historical integrity it cannot be altered.

The statement adds: “The building although over two floors is restricted by the height of two timber trusses on the first floor which are part of the buildings original fabrics and can’t be removed.”

If planning permission is granted the new business premises would consist of five stylist stations on the ground floor and two on the first floor.

The property has been empty for sometime with Spiral feeling its proposal would prevent the building from ‘falling into disrepair’ to the detriment of the Lychpit community.

The applicant added in its application: “Overall the planned use of the building will mean it is not sat empty as at present and will indeed be given a use by local residents.

“This can only improve the area and building and stop it falling into disrepair.”

To find out more about the proposal or to provide a comment in the planning process, go to planning.basingstoke.

gov.uk and search for the planning reference code 18/00449/ LBC.