Serious concerns have been voiced about plans for a new £4.75 million medical centre in Kington by some councillors, even though the town council supports a surgery in the town.
The plans for a centre on Eardisley Road were submitted to Herefordshire Council in February, and include a dental surgery, a range of new walk-in services, facilities for mobile scanning, an improved dispensary and free car parking.
Kington Town Council presented its views on the plan at a meeting on Monday, and several councillors raised concerns about the out-of-town site and access to it for vehicles and pedestrians, the impact of the new surgery on the vitality and viability of the town and in particular the chemist, and said more information was needed.
However, positive comments were made about the environmental measures that would be included in the development, and the landscaping and ecological features which would be involved.
Councillor Ros Bradbury said she did not think she was in a tiny minority of people that have reservations about the plan.
She said she did not feel that 99 per cent of the local population was in favour, and she would object to it herself on the grounds that it was outside the envelope of the town. She said it did not comply with aspects of the Unitary Development Plan which state that new developments must provide a choice of a means of access and try to reduce the reliance on cars.
“Its going to be an extremely hazardous journey for people to walk up a main road that does not have any pavement on either side at the moment,” she said.
Councillor Bob Widdowson agreed. He said he did not think that the size of the surgery’s population fitted with the size of the development, and the site had previously been turned down for a housing development. He said he was also concerned about the access issue and its visual impact.
Mayor Councillor Elizabeth Banks said she was concerned about the ‘enormous pharamacy’, which could have an impact on the chemist in the high street.
But Councillor Barbara Trumper said anyone living within one mile of the town was not able to get medicines from the doctor’s surgery and had to use the town chemist.
Councillor Janet Thomas said the new surgery could have a big impact on the town because at the moment people travelling into the surgery often came into town for shopping or a coffee but with an edge of town site they may not.
Councillor Jess Squires said it was tricky to balance the need for a new surgery and the fear of losing it to another town with concerns about the planning application.
“The doctor’s surgery which exists has a life of two years before it does not meet modern standards,” said Councillor Elizabeth Newman.
She said she believed 95 per cent of the townspeople were in favour of it and the town council should follow that.
“With an ageing population, we must, if we wish to keep the surgery here in Kington, support this,” she added.
Councillor Barbara Trumper praised environmental aspects of the proposed development and said the tree planting may increase biological diversity.
“I am fully in support of it,” said Councillor Mick Turner. “I would rather it be here than in Pembridge or somewhere else,” he added.
Councillor Esther Rolls said in 2003 the same arguments were used that the surgery would be moved out of Kington if they could not get planning permission. She said she was against it being out of town where people could not walk to it and crossing the road would be a problem.
Kington County Councillor Terry James said the issue of the surgery moving out of Kington was a red herring because the Primary Care Trust would not fund a move out to a periphery area.
He said there were problems with the application including a lack of information on a number of issues and some contradictory information, which would have to be addressed before it could go before Herefordshire County Council’s planning committee for a decision. The doctor’s practice had hoped that permission would be given in April so building work could start late summer with completion in 2011.
The town council agreed to support a doctor’s surgery in Kington but will relay its concerns to the county council’s planning committee.
