Expansion plans approved for Sunderland dental practice, despite neighbours' objections

Plans to boost facilities for customers and staff at a Sunderland dental practice have been given the green light, despite objections from neighbours.

Sunderland City Council’s planning department has approved an application for the ‘MyDentist’ centre based at Oliver’s House off Durham Road.

Plans for the site, submitted back in 2023, aimed to build a ground floor rear extension to facilitate surgery rooms, an office and a storeroom.

As part of the plans, practice bosses proposed “reorienting” five existing surgery rooms along with other “associated internal and external works”.

A planning statement from applicants confirmed the extension would increase the number of surgery rooms from 10 to 11, with one existing surgery room being converted into an office.

Those behind the scheme added the proposal would not clash with the “existing site character” or neighbouring properties, and that one additional designated parking space would be provided in the rear car park.

During a council consultation exercise, however, the dental practice’s plan sparked opposition from neighbours.

A total of seven objections were submitted raising concerns including “encroachment”, loss of privacy, “poor access”, traffic generation and parking issues.

Specific concerns included access, parking and traffic issues linked to Bridle Path, which runs adjacent to the dental practice site.

One objector said that “parking along Bridle Path is already dangerous and more footfall will only make matters worse”.

Another objector raised concerns about a “significant increase in noise pollution” linked to the development from air conditioning units.

After considering the planning application and assessing it against planning policies, Sunderland City Council’s planning department approved it on March 22, 2024.

A council decision report said the building was a “well-established commercial dental practice which has been converted from a residential property”.

The council report noted concerns had been raised by the council’s network management team around parking, but that further information was provided by the applicant’s agent around predicted staff and visitor numbers.

This included the “proposed development, as a maximum, resulting in an increase in one clinician and nurse per day and approximately two additional patients per hour”.

A council decision report added: “It is considered that it is difficult to demonstrate that the proposed development would give rise to an unacceptable impact on highway safety or have a severe impact on the road network given that the development will only add one surgery to the property.

“Regard must be given to the sustainable location of the site in transport terms, with the site readily accessible by modes of transport other than the private car.

“It is considered that a refusal of planning permission on highways grounds alone is unlikely to be sustainable.

“It is, however, considered reasonable to impose a condition which serves to restrict the number of surgery rooms which can be used at any one time to the present number, thus enabling the extension to be built and the additional space used whilst keeping overall surgery rooms in use at current levels”.

On noise pollution issues, council planners said the extra air conditioning units would be screened and that a planning condition would be issued to “ensure that they do not operate outside the practice’s operating hours”.

Council planners also noted car reduction measures suggested by the applicant in a travel plan, including initiatives to promote car sharing, cycling, public transport and walking.

The council decision report added: “In respect of the council’s network management objections and a number of objections raised by local residents specifically in relation to parking concerns, a condition has been placed that the proposed additional car parking space, prior to the proposed extension being brought into use, should be kept available for staff or customer parking.

“Additionally, all car reduction and monitoring measures as outlined in […] the travel plan should be adopted in full accordance with the timescales within that plan.

“A further condition is designed to limit the number of surgeries able to operate at any one time”.

The planning condition reads: “Notwithstanding the submitted plans, no more than 10 surgery rooms within the application premises shall be in use at any one time, in the interests of ensuring the intensity of the use of the premises is appropriate in relation to parking availability”.

For more information on the planning application and council decision, visit Sunderland City Council’s planning portal website and search reference: 23/02366/FUL