Specialist medical clinic given the green light by local council in Welsh city

Kieran Molloy, Local democracy reporter

A specialist medical clinic in a bustling city neighbourhood has been given the green-light by the local council.

Cardiff Council has approved to turn an out of use office building into a community dental practice.

According to the application, the proposal will function as a “community healthcare facility providing examinations, consultations and treatments within a controlled appointment-based operational model” at 39 The Parade, Roath, Cardiff.

In the new clinic, patients will be admitted on an appointment basis with arrivals distributed throughout the day.

This operation method “minimises traffic peaks, moderates trip generation and ensures a predictable flow of short-stay visits.”

Planning documents continue: “There is no late-night activity, noise-generating equipment or high foot traffic comparable to large commercial healthcare facilities.”

According to the proposal, it will sustain commercial employment in the building and contribute to Cardiff’s local service economy.

The proposal “represents a beneficial reuse of existing commercial property stock, supporting skilled clinical and administrative roles and contributing positively to community healthcare provision.”

No external alterations, extensions or demolitions are proposed in the plans, Instead, the conversion will “maintain the building’s architectural character” and preserve the “visual coherence of the Parade street scene.”

The surrounding area is characterised by “a concentration of commercial, office, educational, and institutional buildings” with “strong public transport accessibility” and “convenient proximity” to Cardiff Central Station.

The planning officer’s report reads: “It is considered that the use would not result in any additional loss of amenity to nearby residents and adjacent business occupiers to that experienced by the existing use in terms of noise or smell and hours of operation, having regard to the nature of the proposed use.”

At the site, there is a parking area providing up to six spaces. The application calls this suitable for staff and patient use and that it supports the short-stay visits associated with clinical appointments.

Additionally, the parade has on-street paid parking, enabling patients to also park there.

The application reads: “The street serves a predominantly commercial function, without residential permit restrictions, thereby facilitating parking turnover that is compatible with the operational characteristics of dental practices.”

According to the application, the dental practice will result in no adverse impacts on local traffic due to the “availability of sustainable modes and balanced provision of both on-plot and on-street parking.”