New tattoo studio set to open after plans approved for empty unit at The Galleries in Washington

Sunderland City Council’s planning department received a planning application for a business space in The Galleries shopping centre in Washington.

This included change of use from an estate agents to a tattoo parlour.

The proposed space for the development is unit Z1, which is based in the section of the shopping centre close to the town library.

During consultation on the plans, the council’s environmental health department raised no objections to the change of use.

However council officers added that any business offering tattooing must be registered with the council, as well as the premises where it is being carried out.

According to planning documents previously submitted to council planners, the unit earmarked for the tattoo studio has been vacant for around five years.

A separate attempt to convert the former estate agents into a tattoo studio was refused by council planners back in March, 2022.

After considering a new application for the site and assessing it against planning policies, council planners approved the tattoo studio use on August 16, 2022.

Under planning conditions, the development must be brought forward within three years.

For more information on the plans, visit Sunderland City Council’s online planning portal and search reference: 22/00730/FUL