PLANS for a new veterinary practice on an industrial estate in Merthyr Tydfil have been recommended for refusal due to parking concerns.
The application for the vets at unit one in Paisley Business Park, Pant Industrial Estate, is due to go before the council’s planning committee on Wednesday, April 9.
This application has been called-in by Councillor Declan Sammon to be considered by the planning committee due to concerns raised regarding the impact of parking and highway safety in the area.
This application relates to a recently approved 329 square metre industrial unit which forms part of a larger development of 14 industrial units at Paisley Park.
The planning report said it is effectively a resubmission of a previous application for the same development that was refused permission due to concerns relating to the loss of an employment within use class B, parking concerns and ecology impacts.
The planning statement indicates that the proposal would generate jobs for up to seven members of staff.
The vets would have five parking spaces and a cycle stand for up to six bicycles available to staff and customers.
The core opening hours would be 8am to 6.30pm from Monday to Friday and would run on an appointment only basis and the occasional emergency appointment.
The proposed ground floor plans of the vets include a customer seating area, customer toilets, reception area, four consulting rooms, two operating theatres, kennels, cattery, x-ray room, laboratory, dental area, dispensary, janitor room/cupboard, morgue and isolation area.
The proposal includes the installation of a mezzanine floor at first floor level which would provide an additional 264 square metres of floorspace.
The plans show that the first floor would provide two offices, a call centre (with three seats), a boardroom (with 12 seats), a staff room (with four seats), two store rooms, kennels, pharmacy store, staff toilets, staff shower, janitor room/cupboard and IT room.
There were two letters of objection which said that there are already three veterinary practices in the area, with a fourth that closed in Abercanaid a few years ago.
They mentioned the potential impact on the occupation of the neighbouring units due to pet waste, odours and high foot traffic.
They also mentioned the lack of parking as there are only four parking spaces including one disabled bay particularly when compared with other vets that have more spaces.
They said the shortfall of parking will lead to congestion, impacting on spaces available for other nearby businesses or along the nearby roads which would be to the inconvenience of the local community.
They said that another veterinary practice is not necessary, that the proposal may drive up costs and not lower them and they mentioned the potential for dogs defecating in the area.
In recommending refusal, planning officers said: “The proposal fails to demonstrate that sufficient parking can be provided that is commensurate with the scale of the development, which would give rise to ad-hoc and indiscriminate parking along the highway and impact on the parking provision for adjacent businesses, to the detriment of highway safety and the free flow of traffic movements.”
