A DISAPPOINTED dentist has hit out after plans to expand his surgery were blocked by the council over a series of objections

Dr Andrew Brown, the owner and principal dentist at Grappenhall Dental Practice, has hit out over ‘nimbyism’ blocking the extended provision of ‘much-needed’ dental treatment.

In April, he applied to Warrington Borough Council for permission for a single-storey side extension at the Knutsford Road site for an additional surgery room.

This would have replaced an existing car port and storage area, which was to be demolished, and created one part-time role, on top of the existing four full-time employees.

However, the plans were thrown out over ‘insufficient information’ on an ‘intensification’ of parking and the potential harm to people living nearby through an ‘unsustainable increase in parking demand’.

The application received 11 letters of objection, in contrast to one in support, with the 11 all highlighting parking concerns.

While Grappenhall and Thelwall Parish Council did not object in principle, it said it was aware of ‘existing problems caused by parking in adjacent residential streets’.

Following the planning decision, Dr Brown has hit out, commenting: “This would have provided more access to much-needed dental services, including for elderly and disabled patients due to additional downstairs surgery.

“Unfortunately, I have no space to provide additional parking spaces, but since operating my practice since 2006, we have always been considerate and courteous when parking, and have urged our patients to do the same.

“There are many residential roads surrounding my practice which all have plenty of street parking, especially during normal office hours when most people are out at work, as well as street parking on Knutsford Road itself.

“This situation of parking in residential streets is identical in every town village or city in the UK.

“A small minority of vocal residents decided to take objection to people parking in their road and especially outside their houses.

“Due to their objections, Warrington Borough Council has sided with them and refused permission – even though there is absolutely no evidence to support these objections.

“I am amazed that the council has chosen to listen to the small vocal nimby residents and is denying more of the community the chance to access our services.

“The parking issues that the small minority have complained about have been greatly exaggerated.

“There are many other businesses in the immediate vicinity to my practice, all of which have little or no parking, and I feel I am being victimised suggesting that it is all my patients and staff causing the parking issues.”

Dr Brown said that the ‘needs of the many should outweigh the objections of the few noisy neighbours’, adding that directly adjacent neighbours have no concerns.

He says there was a ‘slight issue’ with visibility at the junction of Georges Crescent and Knutsford Road, but this has been resolved with the addition, with the surgery’s support, of double yellow lines.

“My practice is independent, treating patients privately but for very similar prices to the NHS – not extremely high prices seen at some private practices,” Dr Brown added.

“We treat children up to 16 free of charge as long as their parents are registered attending patients of the practice, and we get no funding from the NHS.

“We are still accepting new patients in a climate where it is still extremely difficult to get an NHS dentist, and we see emergencies every day with ease – unlike NHS dentists or even GPs.

“We have excelled in looking after the community of Grappenhall and Warrington over the years, and our success has meant we have needed to expand.

“We have no plans to change the ethos of our practice and will continue to look after our community at reasonable prices for many years to come, with no plans to charge extortionate private fees.

“During this difficult cost of living crisis, services like ours are much-needed and much-sought-after.

“You see stories in the media every other week about the problems with accessing NHS dental services and people resorting to DIY dentistry, as they cannot afford private fees or get in to see a dentist.

“I am going to appeal the planning refusal, but I am hoping to gain some support for such a much-needed addition to a very critical service which is essential to the community of Grappenhall and Warrington.”