Deadline for Sidley surgery

BUILDERS have been given until July 2009 to complete the proposed Sidley doctors' surgery project.

If the project is stalled or work delayed, developers Carisbrooke Medical Centres Limited will have to come back to Rother planning committee and seek permission for further temporary use of Sidley House grounds for the portable buildings which will house the practice while the old surgery is demolished and replaced.

The safeguard was built in at the urging of Cllr Brian Kentfield by last Thursday's planning committee meeting.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Councillors had earlier given detailed planning permission for the surgery. Outline permission was given in 2004.

The existing 20 year-old building is now too small. Despite the new two and single-storey development encroaching into play space in the grounds of Sidley House, a public meeting held by Sidley Community Association produced no objections to the scheme.

Councillors were told there had been a letter of support.

However, some members were concerned last Thursday because the new surgery would include its own pharmacy.

Cllr Kentfield said this would be a commercial operation on publicly-owned land which had been given for the surgery.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Sidley member Cllr Helen Bridger said: "While I am pleased that the surgery is being developed to match the growth in population, I am sad that it is taking part of the playing area of the community centre.

"I appreciate that there is outline planning permission for the pharmacy but shops in Sidley are closing quite quickly and there is a well-used pharmacy in Sidley.

"I would hate to see the one in the pharmacy being to the detriment of the high street in Sidley."

Cllr Kentfield said there was no safeguard in the wording of the recommendation over temporary use of Sidley House grounds to prevent Rother being "stuck" with the portable buildings if something went wrong with the re-building project.

He could foresee a scenario where the doctors moved into the potable buildings, the scheme lost its funding and Rother lost the use of the community centre grounds.

Related topics: