Plans Submitted To Open New Dental Surgery In Ely Sainsbury’s Store
Representatives from the Sainsbury’s store in Lisle Lane, Ely, have submitted a planning application to open a new dental surgery on-site.
A previous application to create a new surgery was rejected before the store even opened back in 2011; however, there are hopes that the plans will be approved this time, as amendments have been made. The new surgery would house one dental chair and employ a single dentist, which makes the application more appealing, as it has little threat to existing practices in the town centre.
Helen McManus, a planning specialist from Indigo, said that the surgery would not pose a risk to the “vitality and viability of the town centre”, an issue, which was raised by planners at East Cambridgeshire District Council when they considered the first application.
Under the proposals, the surgery will take up less than 2 per cent of the store’s floor space and is designed to provide shoppers with an increased range of in-store services. Sainsbury’s already has a number of branches with dental surgeries, as well as dry cleaning, travel and coffee shop outlets.
The application does not include any changes to the appearance of the building and the surgery would be accessed through the store’s main entrance.
The plans will be considered by planning officers at the council and a decision is expected in the near future.
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