Residents win battle on Cannock surgery extension
Residents living near a busy doctors' surgery in Cannock have won their battle to prevent an expansion of the practice.
People and councillors claimed dangerous parking by patients using Chase Medical Practice put lives at risk and recently stopped an emergency vehicle from getting through.
Now, the district council has thrown out an application to convert a house opposite the surgery in Coniston Way into an extension of the business.
The planning committee heard that patients double-parked, used residential roads and parked on bends.
The protestors, backed by three councillors, argued that the five-doctor surgery, along with a dentist's and an osteopath's, had turned their once quiet residential streets into a congested, semi-commercial estate.
County councillor Pat Corfield, who spoke for residents at yesterday's planning committee, said after: "I'm very pleased because these people have put up with enough. This has been about the quality of their lives which has been severely hampered."
Planning officers had recommended approval of the application but the committee voted against it.
Speaking at the meeting, resident Stephen Mercer said: "There is only one way in and out which means people are often backing up on the road, waiting to turn in. Recently my wife narrowly avoided being hit by someone reversing out of the surgery.
"Last year an ambulance couldn't get through because of dangerous parking."
The applicant, Dr Hirendra Choudhary, said he had no plans to take on more patients and the site would have provided nine extra parking spaces.
