The company behind plans to build a new dental practice in Leyburn says the development would “future proof” NHS dental services in the town.
Riverdale Healthcare has submitted a planning application for a new purpose-built dental practice in the town.
The surgery would be built on land adjacent to Trevor Cottage off Richmond Road, near the town’s fire station and district council car park.
The application has been submitted by Riverdale Health Care, which already has a practice in the town under its Alpha Dental Care brand, which it has operated since 2009.
Ben Wild, the company’s operations director, said the plans for a new surgery had been drawn up amid uncertainty surrounding its current base in the town.
He said: “The Brentwood site is limited by virtue of its single surgery and a restriction on available funding from NHS England which has prevented us from providing additional NHS dental provision.
“As a result we have been unable to take on additional patients from this site for some time, although our sister practices in Catterick and Bedale have open lists.”
Ben said the condition of the Brentwood site was deteriorating and they had decided to look at building new premises rather than risk problems with the current premises causing a disruption to services.
He added: “The problem we have had is that because the majority of the premises are not now being used the building is deteriorating and so we have taken the decision to move things forwards before we are forced to move from the site due a complication that might force an unplanned disruption to our service.
“We are hoping to be able to build a larger practice that will be fully DDA compliant, with excellent access to pubic transport links while residing in the centre of town.
“While being modern and providing the most up to date facilities we are keen that it will remain in keeping with the architecture of the surrounding area.
This will help us to future proof the service with space which could provide additional NHS dental services within the Dales.”
Ben added that if they could can gain planning permission this will put the company in a stronger position to work with NHS England to build the facility.
“We have also factored in space within the building to be to able to provide other allied health services if the demand is there to ensure that the Dales retains as many local services as possible,” he added.
The company hopes construction work can start next summer if planning is granted.
