A vet above the Whiteley Surgery has been given the green light despite concerns that children may be in fear of the animals which would share the same access to the building.
Vet gets permission for practice above Whiteley Surgery
Cara Golden has been given permission to set up Whiteley Village Vets Ltd despite a worry raised by Fareham Borough Council about the shared access and that there may not be sufficient car parking spaces.
Opposed to the scheme, Councillor Roger Price said hygiene was not an issue, but the contact between the human and animal patients and possible fears children have of animals – particularly dogs – could pose a problem.
“I have no problems with the hygiene elements, I’m sure both parties will keep it satisfactory, but it’s the contact between the two sets of patients,” he said.
“I just don’t see how the two practices can work together in this sense when you have people who are afraid of animals.
“I don’t think you should put people in that situation or animals in that stressful situation.”
The council heard that the applicant did not wish to build a new entrance and the Care Quality Commission, the regulating body, had no issues with the two practices sharing an entrance, so they approved the plans at a meeting yesterday (June 19).
As part of the building lease, the vet would be allocated seven of the 23 parking spaces at the site, not including the disabled bays immediately outside the building.
The council accepted that had been agreed as part of the lease and so could not refuse the application on that ground. It also noted that the doctor’s surgery was in process of staggering its opening times to address the parking problems there.
“We would need some advisory note to the vet that animals must be contained at all times,” said planning committee chairman Councillor Nick Walker.
Ms Golden, who lives in Hamble but has been working as a vet in Portsmouth, wanted to open a centre in the Whiteley to be nearer to home. As well as the Yew Tree Drive venue, she also applied to Winchester City Council for permission at a site in Parkway which was recently approved.
She previously told the Gazette: “Preferably we’d like to open up on Parkway because it’s more central and has greater scope. If we get planning permission for one we’ll go with that one, but if we get it for both we’re edging towards Parkway.”
Ms Golden was unavailable for comment on her preferred choice for the veterinary surgery now she has permission for both sites.