A PROPOSED extension to Callington’s Health Centre is to be welcomed, says the planning department – but further consideration must be given to vehicle access.

Pre- planning application advice has been sought over plans to create a single storey extension to the south west of the existing building, providing additional clinical space.

Externally, a new car park for 40 vehicles is proposed to the south west of the existing building. A one-way traffic circulation system has been put forward, with a new 'entry only' access from Haye Road and a new 'exit only' access onto Frogwell Road.

Planning officer George Shirley has said that officers would be supportive in principle of an extension to the Health Centre, but that some matters, chiefly to do with traffic, needed to be addressed before a full planning application were submitted.

Following an assessment, the Highways Officer said: “The proposed entry would need to be at least 30m from the Frogwell Road junction. The exit onto Frogwell Road and subsequent stretch of carriageway to Haye Road requires widening to enable two-way vehicle flows, and depending on the available forward visibility, this could consist of passing places.

“I recommend positioning the exit as close as possible to the north-east extent of the car park to minimise the extent of carriageway that would require widening. I recommend a traffic regulation order and double yellow line are used to protect the emerging visibility splays onto Haye Road.”

The planning officer states that widening Frogwell Road would mean the removal of hedgerow, which is generally to be avoided for environmental reasons, and that “finding the balance between these competing requirements would be a key challenge for the scheme”.

Mr Shirley asks the applicant to consider the use of an internal traffic signalling system within the site, in order to avoid completely the need for a new access.

Tamar Valley Health’s Callington practice and dispensary serves some 11,000 patients. A separate planning application for a small extension to the dispensary, described as critical to address need, was approved earlier this year. The 25 square metre extension was to be flat roofed and match the existing building.