Minchinhampton GP and dental surgery approved despite objections

Plans to build a new combined GP and dental surgery on a greenfield site in Gloucestershire have been approved.

Minchinhampton Surgery has been granted permission by Stroud District Council to build a replacement medical centre on land north of Cirencester Road.

The centre is designed to cater for more than 8,000 patients in the same catchment area as the existing surgery in Minchinhampton Town Centre.

Councillors said the application had been "difficult" for them to consider.

Green councillor Chloe Turner said she did not dispute the need for the surgery but the location of the site was highly sensitive.

She said: "I would have objected to it myself were it not for the efforts made towards sustainability."

A resident who spoke against the plans said they went against local planning policies and pointed out that people would have to drive to the medical centre rather than walk as they currently did.

He further argued it would be possible to redevelop and reuse the existing building in Bell Lane, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

"If development beyond the settlement boundary is allowed a precedent would be set enabling further development of the adjacent fields.

"Rather than destroy a greenfield site, surely it makes more sense to redevelop and retain the surgery in the town centre where it is equally accessible for all residents?"

The plan has been voted through by councillors.

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