Sunderland City Council approves expansion of Lynwood Dental practice despite traffic concerns

Sunderland City Council has given the go-ahead for a dental practice in the city to expand its facilities. The Lynwood Dental practice, located in St Peter's ward, had submitted an application earlier this year for a single-storey rear extension at 162 Fulwell Road.

Previous plans for a two-storey extension were rejected due to concerns over design and parking safety. However, the new scaled-back plans, which include a consultation room and staff room, have been approved.

During a council consultation exercise on the plans, no letters of representation were submitted. After assessing the planning application against planning policies, Sunderland City Council’s planning department gave it the green light in November 2024.

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The council's decision report stated that the proposal would "appear as a subordinate addition to the subject property in terms of its scale and massing and [...] despite being visible from the public domain, would not unacceptably alter the character and appearance of the host property nor the locality". It was also noted that the "scale and massing of the structure" would not be "unduly out of keeping with that of the surrounding properties" and would "appear as an acceptable addition within the street scene when viewed from the rear lane, as well as from Fulwell Road".

On residential amenity impacts, the council decision report said the proposal was "not considered to read as an overbearing addition which would result in a loss of light and outlook from the rear windows of 1 Duke Street North". However, the council’s transportation development team raised concerns about the scheme, stating: "The [council’s] transportation development team has commented that the scheme is not acceptable as the applicant is proposing to intensify the traffic associated with the site, whilst reducing parking which will create further overspill onto the surrounding streets which, incidentally, have parking restrictions in place."

Therefore, it does not support this application and recommends that the application is refused.

"Concerns of the transportation development team are noted. However, as stated there is currently no in-curtilage parking at the application site."

There is also no evidence to suggest that a proposal of this nature, which would marginally intensify the use of the site, would result in indiscriminate parking that would cause congestion on the highway to the detriment of highway and pedestrian safety".

For further details on the planning application and the council's decision, check out the council’s planning portal website and refer to the reference number: 24/01800/SUB.