A VETERINARY practice is planning to relocate to a closing doctors’ surgery near Christchurch.
Priory Veterinary Group has earmarked Burton medical practice as a new site for its services.
The vets currently operate from two linked houses in Purewell, but described the space as “cramped, poorly laid out and difficult to adapt to modern standards”.
The site is also on a lease which is coming to an end.
Priory Veterinary Group said relocating would allow services to continue in the area, without the need for a new building.
Burton surgery, located at 123 Salisbury Road, is due to close for good on August 30 of this year.
Its closure was first announced by Christchurch Medical Practice (CMP) last December as part of merger plans.
The surgery building is currently confined to use as a doctors' surgery, but Priory Veterinary Group has submitted an application to BCP Council to vary that restriction.
A statement submitted alongside the application read: “The proposal seeks to allow the main building to be occupied by a veterinary clinic which is both within the same use class, as well as having a very similar use and operation in practice.
“As a veterinary clinic it is a slightly less intense use which will ease pressure on car parking and allow the existing pharmacy use to be retained on the site without disrupting this valued local service.
“Number 123 Salisbury Road offers larger premises which can easily be adapted from its current medical use and provides a similar level of parking with the additional benefit of some on-street parking.”
The doctors’ surgery site also contains a pharmacy, housed in a separate building at the rear.
The statement continued: “Whilst long term it is expected the pharmacy will vacate as it will have no associated medical practice to support it, in the short/medium term it is to continue operating on the site.
“The application site therefore includes continuation of this pharmacy use.
“Retention of the pharmacy use will allow locals to continue to access medicines locally rather than having to travel.”
A decision is yet to be made on the application.
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