Town Council rejects current Doctor’s Surgery, Children’s Centre and Library plan, due to scale and location.

Hope House’s plans to build a new Doctor’s Surgery and Health Centre on Waterloo Road, Radstock, have hit a stumbling block, after Town Councillors voted to recommend that the application be refused by B&NES Council on Monday evening this week.

Councillors voted with only two in favour of the proposals, objecting to the planning application on the basis that it contravenes local planning policy. Although B&NES will make the final decision, those representing Hope House expressed their disappointment at the meeting, saying that the Surgery had originally approached the Town Council in 2015 about the plans, yet they had received no response and had wanted to work with their support.

Members of the public opposed to the building of a new Health Centre spoke at the beginning of the meeting, with most concerned about the site proposed, parking, and the scale of the building and its potential design. They also heard from Dr Alison Humphrey, who defended all of the work that had gone in to the project so far and asked for Councillors to look favourably on what the group is trying to achieve. The meeting became heated at points between Councillors when opposal was taken as blocking plans completely, although most agreed in principle on keeping a surgery in Radstock and the need for better facilities – the key sticking point seemed to be the design and the location.

At the Extraordinary Meeting convened recently to discuss the subject, Town Councillors voted to meet with Hope House to hear about the plans in more detail and to discuss concerns.

Chair of that meeting, Cllr Gary Dando, proposed that on further scrutiny, the Town Council should recommend to refuse the plans as not preserving or enhancing the character of the town, nor did it follow the high standard of design relating to existing buildings or follow historic form.

Cllr Chris Dando, who had previously spoken positively about the plan, revealed that he had had a change of heart, due to the proposed design of the building. He said: “Hope House’s plans are being made in good faith to further the health and well-being of the people of Radstock, and although I am deeply worried about services and agree entirely that there is a need to modernise, I’m concerned that the size and scale is far too great for that site.

“I think we need to continue to work with doctors to find a solution – it may well have to be on that site, but not so overbearing, and could mean taking out some elements. We need to work together to find an acceptable solution, as the risk of a doctor’s surgery disappearing altogether in Radstock is inconceivable.”

Whilst not agreeing on services such as the Library and Children’s Centre being placed in one building, the new Councillor for the Writhlington ward, Rob Langley, said that the investment in the town was a positive thing. Cllr Keith Tyrrell added that Hope House should be supported and the investment money could not be lost, but voted against the plans due to its design.

Councillors Bruce Shearn and John Whittock voted in favour of the plans, with Cllr Shearn offering another proposal, which didn’t get far, as the first by Cllr Gary Dando was carried. He wanted to recommend that the plans be permitted, but to hold talks with Hope House to reduce the planned surgery size, perhaps leaving out the library. He stated that he thought it was important that the Children’s Centre remained in the plans, to help with the health and well-being of local families.

Prior and after the vote being carried, Cllr Chris Dando (also B&NES’ Labour Ward Councillor for Radstock), called on his colleagues to make it very clear what they expected from Hope House, so that a swift solution could be found. He said: “We need to be very clear about what we expect from these plans and to try and help by meeting in the next week – we cannot allow this concept to fail.”

Hope House Surgery has repeatedly warned that should the plans fail and the building not be completed and occupied by 2019, the funding that it has received will be lost and the surgery will more than likely have to move out of the town as it is currently unfit for purpose.

B&NES Cllr Deirdre Horstmann (Radstock, Conservative), said that if the library was not included in the new plans, it would more than certainly be lost for the town, as B&NES Council cannot keep the current site open due to budget cuts.

The application is due to be looked at by B&NES Council at the end of June. Readers can still view and comment (until 2nd May) on the plans by visiting: www.bathnes.gov.uk/planning and by searching for the application under reference: 17/01466/FUL