The first floor of Shanklin Conservative Club may become a ‘much sought-after’ NHS dental practice catering to around 80 patients per day.
James Kingham has submitted plans to convert the ‘under-utilised’ space above the private members’ bar on Palmerston Road into a facility with 6 surgeries.
The first floor has historically been run as a function suite ancillary to the venue, known as The Regency Suite, used for private hire events such as weddings and parties.
A supporting statement from Mr Kingham’s agent, Nova Architectural, said:
“In recent years, demand for private functions has declined, resulting in the first floor accommodation becoming under-utilised.
“Consequently, the owners have sought to lease the space to secure a viable and sustainable alternative use.
“The proposal seeks to make alterations to the first floor element of Shanklin Conservative Club, with the ground floor still to be retained as the club.
“Availability of NHS dentistry on the Isle of Wight has been in a steady decline, with many reports on news sites and community pages that there is a shortage of dentists on the Island, with many reporting that they are unable to gain appointments within their local community.
Article continues below this advertisement “The proposal will provide a much sought-after and needed facility which will have many overarching benefits not only to the wider community of Shanklin, but also to the local economy.”
An Isle of Wight Council public consultation on application 26/00313/FUL finishes on 14th April and a decision is due on 6th May.
That would be good