'Under pressure' GP surgery set to extend due to 'increased demand' from new homes
An "under pressure" Leicestershire village GP can extend into a garage to cope with hundreds of new homes being built in the area. Desford Medical Centre has been given the go ahead by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council (HBBC) following a series of developments which residents claimed would leave health services "under strain".
The plan, to convert a detached garage into an office, emerged as the village has seen hundreds of new homes given approval over the last few years, including 80 homes each at both Earls Place and Peckleton Lane. A further 120 homes at Ashfield Farm have also been approved at appeal after being knocked back four times by the council.
The Ashfield Farm plan, by Davidsons Homes, saw more than 300 objections made by residents who were concerned about the impact so many new houses would have on village facilities, including schools and health services. One villager told the council that Desford’s services were “under strain”, while another said the village was “overcrowded”.
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Desford Parish Council also objected to the scheme, saying the GP practice was “under pressure”. But ruling in favour of the scheme, planning inspector R. Sabu noted the “capacity issues experienced by the primary school, secondary school and medical centre”, but felt financial contributions agreed by the developer would offset the issue.
The plans for the GP surgery will allow the existing office space in the main building to be used as a new consultation room. In planning documents, the medical centre’s team said the extra consultation room would help to “cope with increasing demand”.
The documents said: “During recent years the village has undergone substantial change. The population is now around 3,450 persons and a considerable amount of new housing has extended the village boundary.”
The decision was made by delegated authority, which allows planning officers to decide applications on behalf of the council's plans committee.
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