Plans to extend village pharmacy to “provide better NHS services to the community”

A village pharmacy could be extended in a move to “provide better NHS services to the community and help improve access to primary care services in the area.”

An application submitted to Wrexham Council has proposed that the works take place at The Pharmacy, on Chester Road in Rossett.

The plans have been put forward to better utilise the existing space and to modernise the facility.

Details providing by the applicants state: “The NHS is seeking the established pharmacy to provide better NHS services to their community and help improve access to primary care services in the area.

“The pharmacy owner is constrained in terms of ground floor space that is already used at maximum capacity, so the first floor space needs to be utilised.”

As a result it has been proposed that the first floor is extended to allow for a new staircase to be “accessed independently” to the side of the building.

The applicants say that this would allow “for better use of the existing underused space” on the fist floor, by providing a staff room and office to “manage the services that are offered to the community.”

Currently on the ground floor there is retail shop to the front and dispensary in the middle and staff facilities to the rear.

Details provided in the application’s design and access statement, explain: “It is proposed to rationalise and modernise a very cluttered and intensely used space.

“With the removal of the staircase this front area of the shop will be opened up and create better circulation for customers (and seating for the infirm waiting for prescriptions).

“At the moment products are packed into a cramped space making it difficult to find items and deterring customers.”

The pharmacy is also described as needing a consultation room to carry out private consultations, with the only way to provide this being by increasing the floorspace and removing the staircase.

As part of the proposed redesign a room for consultations and vaccinations would be located at the rear of the building.

The applicants add: “The change of use and alterations proposed reflect the scale and proportions of the existing property and those of its neighbours.

“Fenestration detailing respects the importance of sympathetic design, complementary to the existing property and the streetscene within the Conservation Area and will not be detrimental to the neighbour’s privacy.”

The application will be considered for approval by Wrexham Council at a later date.

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