A doctor surgery has been granted permission to build an extension which will create four new consulting rooms.

Whalley Medical Centre, in King Street, Whalley, has also been given the green light to fit solar panels to the side elevations of the building.

It comes amid what the surgery calls an “urgent need to facilitate demand for the local area” due to increased housing.

A planning statement submitted to Ribble Valley Borough Council says: “The proposal provides the opportunity for the existing practice to provide an additional four new consulting rooms which are in urgent need to facilitate demand from the local area.

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“At ground floor, the rear extension will provide four new consulting with associated waiting area.

“At first floor, internal reconfiguration will allow a more productive work environment for supporting services as well as an additional meeting and training room within the extension.”

The development will see the existing building extended to the rear of the site, away from the high street.

It currently has 10 consulting rooms, a midwives room, a treatment room, a minor operation room, and a nurses rooms, as well as a pharmacy and dispensary.

The statement continued: “The scheme has been designed to sensitively reflect and adhere to the site as well as the surrounding context within the central setting.

“The proposal provides a new high quality designed extension reflective of the existing profile and materiality to meet local demand in a sustainable location.

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“The design responds to the existing site characteristics to provide a detailed development utilising traditional materials.

“This scheme is fully supported through local demand for clinical space given the increasing housing numbers in the local area, therefore the public benefit of the scheme is significant and mitigating factor.”

The council approved the plans under basic conditions such as development should begin within three years of the approval date and any other changes must be submitted to the council.