Plans to turn Norwich's Enzo Barbers into flat delayed

Enzo Barbers in St Vedast Street, between Rose Lane and Prince of Wales Road, is hoping to close in order to turn the site into a two-bedroom flat after it submitted a planning application to Norwich City Council last month.

But plans have hit a sticking point after officials from the council's environmental protection team said the site was "extremely close" to an air pollution source and in an "air quality management area".

Commenting on the plans, a spokesman for the team, said: "To ensure the protection of any future residents we would insist that no window facing on to St Vedast Street shall be able to open or have any ventilation measures included."

The site in St Vedast Street (Image: Google Maps)

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Officials said airborne noise issues had been identified and dealt with in the plans but structure-based noise pollution from the surrounding takeaways and nightclubs had not been accounted for.

The environment protection team told the council's planning team that it felt no permission should be granted until the issues it identified had been sorted.

Despite no provision for car parking, the city council's highways team said it had no issue with the plans as they had sufficient room for cycles.

Norwich City Council's environmental protection team raised pollution concerns about the new development (Image: Newsquest)

The shop is owned by Enzo Casale who cut city folk's hair for more than 50 years before retiring in 2019, to become a landlord.

His second shop in Aylsham Road, run by his son Ottavio, will remain open.

The plans would make the entire building residential, with a one-bedroom flat already in use on the first floor.

It is now not clear when a decision on plans will be made after a decision had been expected by August 18.