Plans to expand a County Durham vets have been lodged with the council.

Seaham Vets has proposed to expand its practice into a neighbouring property, 42 Gregson Terrace, Seaham.

The aim of this expansion is to improve the experience for cats at the clinic, who are reportedly distressed by the current shared waiting area with dogs.

Plans include creating a separate waiting room for cats, which the practice believes will significantly enhance its service to feline patients.

The expansion will also introduce additional ancillary spaces and upgrade the existing kennels, moving them into rooms with windows to improve animals' living conditions during their stay.

Overall floor space of the practice will increase by 89 sq. metres, with no reduction in the existing floor space.

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This proposed expansion involves a formal change of use from residential to commercial for the property at 42 Gregson Terrace.

The external appearance and scale of both properties will remain unchanged, as the focus is on interior modifications.

Seaham Vets, which operates at 43 Gregson Terrace, specialises in caring for domestic pets.

The proposed expansion will allow the practice to separate waiting areas by species, to reduce stress for all pets, particularly cats.

The practice does not intend to expand its workforce, which currently consists of nine full-time employees and four part-time employees.

Access points and available services on-site will remain unchanged, with no alterations to existing infrastructure.

Existing methods for disposing of veterinary waste will be retained, and waste collection provisions will remain the same.

The change of use for 42 Gregson Terrace began on October 1, before the formal application was submitted on October 14.

The application is currently under consideration by Durham County Council.