Plans to Convert Former Doctors Surgery Into Flats Recommended For Approval

Plans to convert a former doctors surgery into four self-contained flats looks set to be given the go ahead.

In an application due to go before members of Wrexham’s Planning Committee next Monday, it has been recommended that plans to convert a former doctors surgery on Ruabon Road into four studio flats, are approved.

Initial proposals for the development were released in May, with Wrexham.com reporting that plans had been put forward to convert the former Beechley Road Medical Centre into four, self contained studio flats.

If approved the building would consist of three, one bedroom flats and one, two bedroom flat.

However the plans have been met with some objection from the local community council, who say that the development is ‘over intensive’. Concerns have also been raised by the lack of onsite parking and on street parking.

Similar concerns were also raised by four neighbouring residents to the site, who questioned the impact the on-street parking would have and the potential risk of congestion on the Court Road and Fairy Road junction.

With regards to parking the report references the buildings’ previous use as a doctor’s surgery, which had generated the need for 10 spaces for the site. The report continues onto note that as with other properties on Ruabon Road and the neighbouring streets, occupants are reliant on on-street parking.

However the Head of Environment and Planning’s report adds: “It is understood that there is a significant on-street parking problem in this area including indiscriminate parking which occurred due to the busy nature of the surgery.

As such, the reduction in parking demand from the residential use compared with the surgery would be considered to be a significant benefit in highway terms. Further, the site is within walking distance of the town centre with a wide range of retail and leisure facilities as well as frequent public transport which will encourage reduced reliance on the car as a means of transport.”

Other concerns raised by the residents included a loss of community, the property falling within a conservation area and that families would not want to live in an area with a high number of HMOs.

Addressing the concerns of HMOs the notes that the proposals to convert the building into self contained units of accommodation ‘will therefore result in no change in the local concentration of HMO units.

The Head of Environment and Planning’s report concludes: I am satisfied that development will not materially detrimentally affect the character and appearance of the area, and that the proposal preserves the character of the conservation area.

“There will be no significant detrimental impact upon highway safety, social fabric of the area or local residential amenity and the proposed change of use accords with local planning policy.”

The application will go before Wrexham’s Planning Committee at 4pm on Monday 4th July. For those who can’t attend the meeting, it will be webcast live on the Wrexham Council website.