Parish council votes against surgery planning application

The planning meeting was held at the Village Hall in Thakeham Road, Storrington.

The meeting was to discuss the submitted planning application for the proposed demolition of the existing Glebe Surgery and erection of a new 1,400 square metre doctors’ surgery, 120 square metre new pharmacy and 59 associated car parking spaces and the erection of 24 houses and 58 associated car parking spaces.

Residents packed the hall to listen to seven representations - a mixture of both in favour of and against the planning application - before hearing from the parish council.

The parish council unanimously objected the planning application stating pollution, extra dangers at a nearby roundabout caused by extra cars on the roads and the loss of green space at the Glebe Field as the main reasons.

Chris Carey, a chartered surveyor, spoke on behalf of Spangles - a group of local residents united to preserve the Glebe Field.

He said: “I have looked at this planning application and there is no planning reason to have 24 houses to support the surgery.

“The proposal does not meet the planning policy requirement and, therefore, I register a strong apposal to this planning proposal.”

The parish council suggested that more traffic in Storrington, as a result of the new surgery and homes, would cause further problems at the roundabout at the end of Monastery Lane.

Many residents also had concerns over the possible increase in pollution caused by an increase of cars driving into Storrington.

Dr Keir Newsom, a general practitioner at the current Glebe Surgery is in favour of the proposed planning application.

He said: “Patients numbers are growing and soon we will need more space for them.

“When it comes to funding for new buildings within the NHS, any development needs to be finished by April 2019.

“If we do not do this, then any proposals we have in the future will fail to meet the guidelines.”

Residents were also concerned by the proposed location of the new surgery and suggested the location of the old Mill Stream Medical Centre as a more viable option.

Dr Newsom added: “This planning application cannot be applied to the land holding the Mill Stream Medical Centre because the plans for the new Glebe surgery are more than twice the size of that area.”

Horsham District Council will make the final decision on this planning application.

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