Plans for a new office at a Darlington surgery have been approved by the council.

The conversion of a residential property at 2 Vancouver Street, Darlington, into office space is set to support the nearby Orchard Court Surgery.

The administrative staff will be housed in the new office, freeing up more clinical space in the main surgery.

Craig Stevenson submitted the application for the change of use from a residential dwelling to office use on September 5, 2024.

Plans see the end-terrace residential property remain structurally unchanged, with no external alterations.

In the report, the conversion was supported by local policies favouring sustainable developments that offer social and economic benefits.

The limited scope of the proposal and its supportive role to the nearby surgery meant no sequential test was necessary despite its location outside the designated town centre boundary.

Darlington council's report also found no adverse impacts on local character and minimal privacy concerns due to the nature of the office use.

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The office use does not exceed the existing residential parking allocation, so no additional parking demand is anticipated - it also means safety of the highway is not expected to be compromised, and the Highway Development Control has raised no objections.

However, the office use must remain linked to the surgery to prevent other potential uses that could increase traffic, as per the report.

No public comments were received during the consultation process.

The council's decision notice, issued on November 1, 2024, grants permission with conditions tailored to restrict the use to Orchard Court Surgery and office purposes only.

If the surgery ceases operations at the property, it must revert to residential use.

Development must begin within three years of the approval date, and all work must adhere to the specified floor plans and elevations.

A restriction on Class E use means the property can be used strictly for office purposes for the medical practice, ensuring residential amenity and safety.