Former GP surgery to be converted into flats

Plans to convert a former GP surgery into flats have been given the green light.

Shropshire Council has approved plans for Dodington Surgery in Whitchurch to be turned into five one-bed apartments.

The practice closed in April 2021 and the site was bought by David Burgess of local building firm RS Burgess and Sons.

As well as converting the main building, Mr Burgess intends to utilise the adjoining former stable block, which has already been turned into office space, for the business.

The building is grade two listed and lies in the town’s conservation area.

A heritage statement by ARH Architectural Design, prepared on behalf of the applicant, said: “There is a public benefit to securing the preservation of this heritage asset to restore an active use of the building without causing significant harm to its remaining architectural and historic interest, thereby sustaining and enhancing its overall contribution to the historic town centre.”

The council’s conservation officers agreed, but asked for a number of conditions attached to the planning permission to ensure any work on the 18th century building is carried out sensitively.

Five members of the public submitted comments, two against and three in support of the plans.

Objectors said the development would exacerbate existing parking problems, and some of the flats would overlook neighbours’ gardens.

But supporters argued there would be fewer cars than when the building operated as a GP surgery, and said bringing the building back into use would prevent it falling into disrepair while providing much-needed homes.

Planning officers concluded that permission should be granted, saying: “The development will bring back into use the historic listed building and as such will deliver significant benefits in terms of safeguarding the future and upkeep of this heritage asset.

“Taking into consideration the site context and relationship to surrounding dwellings in this urban setting, the presence of roads and the distances involved, it is not considered that any nearby existing dwellings in the locality will be so adversely affected by the development proposals in terms of overlooking and loss of privacy as to justify refusal.

“The application has been consulted upon with the Council’s Highway Officer.

“[They] acknowledge that the proposal includes no on-site parking provision but that this is ‘…effectively the current situation now and when the doctor’s surgery was open with all the associated traffic generation parking within the locality’.”