As previously reported in May, an experienced dentist said that he was ‘dismayed and amazed’ by a further refusal for plans to expand his ‘much-needed’ dental surgery.
It came after Warrington Borough Council rejected for a second time plans for a single-storey side extension at Grappenhall Dental Practice for an additional surgery room.
The move would have created one part-time role, on top of the existing four full-time employees, but the council once again raised parking concerns as the main reason for refusal.
This was despite 22 letters of support being submitted in favour of the plans, compared to eight letters of objection.
Letters of support stated that there is a demand for dental access, particularly with the development of more than 300 houses in Grappenhall.
Dr Brown has slammed the council over its decision. He told the Warrington Guardian: “I am dismayed to say the least.
“The initial application was rejected due to insufficient information pertaining to parking issues, after I gave the council estimates of the increase in patient numbers.
“For the second application, I contracted the services of an independent specialist transport consultant at considerable expense to provide a more detailed review and highlight the capacity that is easily accessible for further expansion.
“I assumed that the council would be more amenable to an independent specialist consultant, but I assumed wrongly.
“I am amazed and astonished that the council is continuing to refuse this permission – especially on the grounds it is giving – and I am totally at a loss to understand the reasoning.
“With an increasing need and population, and excellent service provided by my practice, it is an absolute disgrace that my plans for expansion are being blocked.”
Dr Andrew Brown set up Grappenhall Dental Practice in 2006, after a 10-year period working for the NHS at Museum Street Dental Practice in Warrington town centre.
After 12 months, the business needed to expand, with another surgery room installed at the practice and an associate employed to help cope with demand.
A further four years saw more growth and a third surgery opened, taking on further associates.
“We are still highly in demand, and as the community struggles to access NHS services, we pick up the slack,” Dr Brown said.
“The service we provide is much-needed, essential, unequalled, and of community benefit. We still provide dental services independently, at very similar prices to the NHS, and we still see children free-of-charge, with no NHS funding.
“A further downstairs surgery would help us to increase this essential service to the increasing population of Warrington.”
Dr Brown appealed the decision to the Planning Inspectorate, with the Secretary of State moving to overturn the council’s refusal.
A decision report states: “The main issues are whether the additional treatment room would result in adverse effects on highway safety and the residential amenity of local residents, due to increased parking demand, and the effect of the development on bats.
“While I have no doubt that some staff and patients will park their cars in side streets, the small increase in parking generated by the additional treatment room would have a negligible impact.
“I am mindful of the fact that occupiers of the two dwellings immediately adjoining the appeal site on Knutsford Road are supportive of the proposal and have experienced no problems parking, accessing, or exiting their driveways.
“Existing measures are in place in the area to prevent dangerous parking adjacent to junctions and across driveways.”
On bats, the report adds: “There is no evidence to suggest that anybody from the council or ecology unit has viewed the structure in person, or has had regard to its use or construction.
“I have not been advised of any records indicating that bats are known to be present in the area, and the carport would be highly unlikely to support bat roosts.”
