CONTROVERSIAL plans to expand a dental clinic in Cam have been rejected for a second time.

A planning application had been submitted by applicant Dr Olga Sivova-Peneva to expand Cam Dental Practice in Chapel Street.

Proposals - which were submitted to Stroud District Council in July - included creating an additional dental clinical room.

However, the plans received more than 11 objections.

Many pointed out that Chapel Street is already a bottleneck and has problems with speeding cars and illegal parking.

Meanwhile, Cam Parish Council objected to the application due to ‘poor design’ which would impact on a neighbouring property.

It comes as similar plans to expand the same dental practice were refused in March last year due to the lack of a bat survey.

According to floor plans, an existing staff room and kitchen would be transformed into the new room.

Other proposals include creating a new main entrance to the practice and creating a new staff room area with six new full-time jobs being created.

Planning officers from SDC rejected the application on Thursday, October 17, described the plans as ‘detrimental’ to a neighbouring property.

“Unfortunately this application was submitted without any meaningful pre-application discussions,” the rejection document reads.

“The main concern is the potential impact of the dormer on the first floor bedroom window at the neighbouring semi-detached property.

“The dormer would be visible from the neighbouring bedroom and given its proximity and size, it is considered that it would be detrimental to the residential amenity of the neighbouring occupiers, as it would be overbearing, and lead to a reduction in the natural light entering one of the bedrooms.

“Some objection comments also mentioned traffic issues in the area.

“While these are of concern to local residents, this particular proposal does not directly affect the adjoining road or the access.

“The potential construction traffic issue is not a material planning consideration.”

The rejected planning application comes amid a dental crisis in the UK.

According to data from the GP Survey by Ipsos, 13 million people – or 28 per cent of England’s adult population – have an unmet need for NHS dentistry.

The data - which was revealed this summer - includes an estimated 5.6 million adults who have tried and failed to secure a dental appointment in the last two years.