'Positive investment' - South Shields medical centre plans to expand with extra rooms
Application is looking to improve facilities at Talbot Medical Centre, off Stanley Street.
A medical centre in South Shields could soon benefit from extra consulting rooms under new plans to expand the surgery.
An application to South Tyneside Council’s planning department is looking to improve facilities at Talbot Medical Centre, off Stanley Street, in the town.
The healthcare facility, which sits in the Biddick and All Saints ward, offers a range of medical and clinical services to the community, with the building accommodating patient consultation and treatment rooms, offices and a patient waiting area.
New plans are seeking permission for a single-storey extension to the medical centre which would provide three additional consulting rooms.
An accompanying design and access statement notes the proposal “provides a functional, accessible and sustainable development that supports the long-term delivery of healthcare services for the local community”.
Those behind the scheme said the development had been “carefully considered in response to the site’s location, context, constraints and opportunities”.
The design and access statement goes on: “Through detailed assessments of the site and its accessibility, the scheme demonstrates that safe and convenient access can be achieved for all users, with considerations given to pedestrian, cycle and public transport.
“This design and access statement demonstrates how the development has evolved through a good understanding of the site and the users needs, ensuring that the proposal is appropriate in scale, appearance and function.
“Overall, the proposed works represent a positive investment in healthcare infrastructure, providing modern and accessible facilities that will support the long-term needs of the local community while meeting planning and design requirements.”
It was also noted that the medical centre would “need to be fully operational whilst works are ongoing” and that the proposed extension needed to be “designed in a way that will allow for this”.
Although the development will result in the loss of four spaces in the rear staff parking area, applicants said “any impact on parking demand can be mitigated through promotion of sustainable travel measures, such as walking, cycling, public transport use, car sharing, and flexible travel arrangements.”
A decision on the planning application is expected following a consultation.
For more information, visit the council’s planning portal website and search for reference 260590.