Newcastle City Council has validated three applications on Lonsdale Terrace, Lyndhurst Avenue, and Jesmond Vale to upgrade existing infrastructure.

The validation could see new facilities come to the areas, including a multi-purpose venue at the Blue Bell Hotel and a new cosmetic surgery clinic near West Jesmond Metro station.

Planning applications are currently a two-step process. The first step is validation, where applications are accepted as being complete, with the council receiving all the necessary documentation and ready to process. The council then has eight weeks to take a decision and either approve or reject the application.

At Lonsdale Terrace, Umesh Mishra filed an application with the council to divide the single retail unit currently in place into three individual units.

The application for Lonsdale Stores could see two new storefronts with rolling shutters.

The two new stores would be accessible from Lonsdale Terrace as per the application, with no changes made to the side facing Glenthorn Road.

Currently, Lonsdale Stores has a large retail space with a store area. The application seeks to subdivide the area into three retail spaces and remove the store area.

On Lyndhurst Avenue, Lase Cosmetics Limited has had their application to convert the second floor of the building into a clinic validated.

Filed by Gray Monaghan, the application seeks to take advantage of the second floor of Unit 1, The Jesmond which is currently vacant. The proposal would see the floor turn into a high-end cosmetic surgery clinic with an operating room, four consultation rooms, two recovery rooms, and a waiting area. The ground floor of the building is currently home to Sainsbury’s Local.

At the Blue Bell Hotel in Jesmond Vale, the council has temporarily granted permission for the outbuilding to be converted into a multipurpose venue including a salon, training hall and function room.

Filed by James Fitzakerly, the outhouse would be a salon three days of the week, which plans to see customers only via prior appointment.

Fitzakerly’s application also seeks to use the venue as a training session, primarily for before and after-work sessions with some background music.

The application did face some issues when first filed, with consultations resulting in concerns over anti-social behaviour, greater potential for noise, parking issues and unclear definition of ‘low to medium’ level of music.

With other issues pointed out, the council has noted that the venue could become an issue in the area, and hence granted a temporary permission for 12 months from opening day. At the end of the period, it will decide whether to make the permit a permanent one based on consultation and feedback from residents in the area. 

The council has also conditionally granted permission for a change in status at 11 Osborne Road.

The building previously housed office space, and RAS Properties NE has filed to change the first and second floor into a residential area with four flats and one studio. This was an amended request after the company had initially filed to change the entire building to a residential permit.