Hucknall: New proposals agreed to resolved controversial dental practice extension row

The large two and three-storey extension built on the rear of the Family Dental Centre on Portland Road was ruled illegal after it was built without full planning permission.

Following a ruling by the National Planning Inspectorate, the dental practice owners were told to demolish the whole extension.

However, at a meeting of the council’s planning committee on April 13, officers revealed that dialogue between the council and the practice was underway over a new proposal.

And now, plans for a two-storey extension to the building, with the controversial third storey removed and replaced by a pitched roof, have now been approved, although nearby residents wanting a speeding conclusion to matters may have to wait a little longer as the practice now has up to three years in which to complete the work.

An Ashfield District Council spokesperson said: “It has been agreed and permitted as of August 31, 2022, that the dentist will be able to retain the two-storey extension, but must replace the third storey with a pitched roof.

“They have three years to carry out this work, Ashfield District Council cannot comment on how the surgery intends to do it.

"However the developers have left up the construction materials in anticipation.”

Planning permission was originally granted for the two-storey extension back in 2018.

But the applicant then submitted new plans to the council last year for a two and three-storey extension.

However, before permission had been granted, builders began building the new third storey, causing anger to residents on neighbouring Bolsover Street.

The council subsequently refused permission for the third storey and issued an enforcement notice ordering the work to stop and the extension be removed.

But work continued as the applicants behind the scheme appealed to the National Planning Inspectorate.

The Inspectorate visited the site earlier this year and ruled in favour of the council.

The inspectorate also said the consent for the original two-storey application had now also expired, meaning the whole extension had to come down.

But following constructive talks between the council and the dental practice, this new proposal for a two-storey extension with pitched roof is now seen as the way forward to resolving the issues.