Plans for Westbury’s new £5million Primary Care Development have been held up because of a last minute objection by a local councillor regarding the redirection of a footpath across the original proposed site.
The objection arose after planning permission had been granted for its development and just as building work was due to start on the site.
Eastleigh Surgery has expressed concern that the delay could jeopardise services provided by the primary care development. The project has also incurred extra costs.
Debbie Riddiford, managing partner of Eastleigh Surgery who is leading the development, explained, “The planning process for Right of Way diversions is extremely lengthy where objections are submitted, and in order for us to minimise any potential delay, we have submitted revised plans to the council to move the building back on the original site by about 19 metres so that the footpath can remain along its current route.
“We are still a little confused about why the objection was felt necessary, as the proposed diversion was minor, there are other paths in the area and walkers using the footpath would only have needed to use the redirected route if they were walking at night. We were intending to allow access across the site during opening hours”.
The new Primary Care Development was given planning permission in November last year and the GPs have been working to secure as many services as possible to be provided from the building. Apart from the revision made because of the objection, plans for the building remain the same as in the earlier permission.
GP Dr Debbie Beale said, “I am concerned that the delay may put some of the planned services at risk and we cannot afford for that to happen. We have resubmitted our plans to remove the basis for the objection.
“This has been costly and it is extremely frustrating that one person’s objection could jeopardise the whole project and may compromise services for the people of Westbury at a time when the NHS is required to make substantial financial savings.
“We have been very grateful for the overwhelming support received from the vast majority of town and county councillors and our patients to try and bring this new facility to Westbury. The new planning application was submitted to the council on 21st June and we hope that we may be able to start revised work on site soon after the summer”.
Westbury town councillor and Wiltshire councillor, Francis Morland, confirmed that he made the objection to the redirection of the footpath across the site, but would not comment on his reasons for doing so. He stated that he made his objections in response to a public notice to the diversion of the footpath, and added that any delays to the Primary Care Development were something that the developers should have planned for. “I don’t understand how people go into these processes and timetables without understanding all the things that go with it, it’s like saying we forgot to order the bricks,” he said.
Westbury’s £5million Primary Care Development will combine the Eastleigh and White Horse Surgeries, with a new centre at Mane Way, Leigh Park. The proposed services include eight GPs from the existing surgeries, nurses and nurse practitioners, antenatal and postnatal care, five treatment areas, a minor operations suite, a mobile diagnostics centre, an outpatient X-ray facility and a dental surgery.
