A pole dancer is on track to win the planning battle to keep a dance studio at her posh £700,000 bungalow despite locals’ complaints of ‘grunting and loud music’.
Samilou Saunders has been battling ‘generational bias’ from neighbours in the town who are against her business.
She has operated the studio from her bungalow in Christchurch, Dorset, for the past two years, but it faced the threat of closure after neighbours complained.
They argued that the studio was having a ‘devastating’ impact on their lives, pointing to loud music during classes and parking problems.
And they were supported by local councillor Margaret Phipps, who deemed the business ‘inappropriate’ for a residential neighbourhood.
But Mrs Saunders, whose clientele includes doctors, accountants, vets, nurses, and school teachers, believes the opposition stems more from discomfort with a pole dancing studio in the area than genuine concerns.
Mrs Saunders was required to submit a retrospective planning application in January in a bid to continue running the studio.
And now planning officers at Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole (BCP) Council have recommended it be approved.
In his report, planning officer Peter Walters recommended introducing conditions to curb noise disturbance and restrict opening hours in an effort to address the complaints.
Mrs Saunders said she felt a sense of relief but admitted the dispute has strained her relationship with her neighbours.
She said: ‘This has been going on for nearly two years now. It’s been a lot of stress and I’ve been really down about it.
‘Some of the things neighbours said were quite horrible and shocking. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I’m glad the planning officer has seen through the lies about music and noise.
‘If I honestly thought I was causing an issue I would have gone round to my neighbours and said what can I do to sort this out?
‘I don’t feel like I can wave and smile at people anymore, I feel intimidated. They (objectors) will stand and stare at me when I leave the house.
‘I’m very pleased with the report, I’m feeling really positive about the outcome.
‘I’m hoping when it’s all over, we can just move on, but I don’t feel like I’m quite there yet.’
The 40-something mother previously ran a studio in Bournemouth but moved the business to her home during the Covid pandemic, continuing operations there due to the ongoing cost of living crisis.
She is the sole employee and typically works around 20 hours per week, holding small classes of up to eight people, spread throughout all seven days.
Her planning application lists the studio’s hours as 9am to 9pm Monday to Friday, and 9am to 12pm on weekends.
The timetable on her website shows only one or two classes per day during the week, usually around 10am and again at 6 or 7pm.
She stated that the studio is fitted with air conditioning, meaning windows and doors remain closed during sessions, and that music is not audible from outside. She also noted that music is not played during the classes themselves.
Despite this, neighbours insist the business is ruining their enjoyment of their homes and the surrounding area.
Alan Forage, 83, a retired scientist who lives next door, said: ‘We (the residents) are all reasonably old and at our age we just want peace and quiet in a nice area, a quiet life.
‘In the summer when windows are open you hear grunting and loud music and chatting when the pole dancing classes are on.’
Neighbour John Thompson wrote: ‘We, the residents, have put up with this intrusion into a totally quiet residential area with a devastating effect on our amenity.
‘We are the people who have experienced the significant disruption from the noise from the pole dancing music and the effect of the parking not only the road but also on our grass verges which we maintain on a regular basis.
‘This application should be rejected and the building brought back in line with the original planning approval, namely construction of an enlarged replacement garage, not an unauthorised pole dancing business in the heart of a quiet residential area.’
Dorothy and Michael English wrote: ‘We feel that our home is no longer as enjoyable. We can no longer use the garden freely. Our mental health and wellbeing is being affected.’
The BCP planning committee will vote on the matter at a meeting next week.
Mrs Saunders said: ‘I am still a bit on edge for the meeting.
‘I’ve been told the councillors would have to have a good reason to refuse it and go against the officer’s recommendation.’