Northampton dental surgery looks to extend into 19th Century villa

The owner of Duston Dental Practice, in Main Road, wants to change the use of the house next door to a dental surgery and join together the two buildings, which are semi-detached villas dating back to the 19th Century.

Five extra full-time workers and one extra part-time worker would be taken on once any work is completed, bringing the total staff to 23.

The new dental surgery would stretch across the first floor of the connected buildings, with the proposed new flat on the groundfloor.

A car park would be created at the back, replacing a large swathe of the house's garden and has led to conservation officers raising a minor concern.

But David Trubshaw, a senior planning officer specialising in conservation at the Guildhall, reasoned that the protected area around Main Road would not be changed dramatically.

He said: "It will involve the loss of a large part of the rear garden, which is a traditional and attractive feature of houses in the area. The council's arboricultural officer should be consulted in respect of trees to be removed.

"The level of harm to the character of the conservation area would be less than substantial and should be weighed against the public benefit of the proposal."

Highways officers have also commented that the car park will make the area safer as it will reduce on-road parking.

A committee of Northampton borough councillors will decide whether the proposal goes ahead sometime in the coming months.