A scheme to site a beauty therapy business in a storage container unit on a Cardigan industrial estate, as part of a trial run, has been submitted to county planners.

The application, by Mark Jukes, of Mark Jukes Containers, seeks to use a storage container for the beauty therapy business at Parc Piliau, Pentood Industrial Estate.

Mr Jukes already runs an established container business – of some 15 years - at the site, and seeks permission to use a container as a dummy-run for the business his daughter wants to start.

A complication for the plans is the site is currently designated for industrial use and storage rather than for beauty therapy.

A supporting statement for planners says: “The proposal is to provide a storage unit-type building above existing storage containers and next to the existing site office to provide a beauty salon facility for the owner’s daughter.”

The application adds: “The issue of principle of this application rests with the justification to site such business at this site. This site is allocated for B1, B2 and B8 use, and a beauty therapy business does not fit neatly into any use class and therefore, would be classed as a suis generis use class.

“This site has been chosen to run the business as a test facility to get a feel for the demand for such services in the area.

“Therefore, to prevent unnecessary overheads of a small business and to encourage success of the business, siting the business at this site would be the best option as the land is already owned by the family of the business.

“Without knowing the market for such services in the area, it would be onerous to ask a new business to purchase or commit to an expensive long-term lease of another site, when they could test the business on this site before committing to any future move.”

The application will be considered by Ceredigion planners at a later date.