AN APPLICATION has been submitted to Carlisle City Council to convert a sandwich shop into a tanning salon.

Full planning approval is sought to redevelop a former Subway sandwich shop on London Road, Carlisle into the Sui Generis tanning salon.

If planning approval is granted, the inside of 115 to 117 will be converted to create an upmarket salon which will include a seating area, reception and six individual rooms with a selection of vertical and horizontal tanning beds.

The applicant believes it is a positive step to fill the currently empty space on London Road.

They said: “The conversion on the busy thoroughfare will help improve the image of the road with the occupation of the vacant premises, creating a luxury Tanning Salon in a prime location.”

Proposed opening hours are 9am until 9pm Monday to Friday. The salon would also be open 9am to 8pm on Saturday and 11am until 4pm on Sundays and bank holidays.

The design and access statement added that staff members will be given extensive training on the tanning beds, “with the knowledge to advise clients on their usage, along with training from the leading supplier in the UK, Cyrano LTD, who teach salon owners and staff members about the different products, ie. Creams that clients should use.”

It is hoped that the new salon will capitalise on a cultural shift with more men using sunbeds in 2021.

The applicant believes the site is well positioned to benefit the city: “Located on London Road, South of Carlisle City centre and opposite the popular St Nicholas Gate Retail Park, which includes ASDA, B&M’s Home Store, Halfords, Iceland and The Gym Group. There is ample parking directly opposite which is free for three hours and also free parking on the residential streets.”

Work will be completed on the shop front including installing signage which is the subject of a separate planning application.

The agent said: “The proposal will allow the client to provide a luxurious tanning experience for clients, with market leading brand new MegaSun sunbeds with state of the art technology and health and wellbeing at the forefront of what they do.”

It was revealed in the design and access statement that a slight increase in foot traffic would be seen but they said: “There are already safe crossing points around the site to aid in the foot travel between site and car park.”

Planning applications submitted for area can be viewed and commented on by the public via the Carlisle City Council planning portal.