DESPITE concerns over the potential impact on patients, plans to build 10 new houses near a busy health centre in Milford Haven have been approved.

The application came before the Planning and Rights of Way committee on Tuesday (January 20), with nine councillors voting in favour of approval and five against.

The developers Assura Group sought outline permission to build 10 two-storey terrace houses in an area of car park formerly used by the Manchester Square Health Centre.

The car park was initially open to the public when the health centre was built in 2012, but Assura Group fenced off a section a year later.

The application was originally discussed on December 16, when concerns were raised about a loss of parking, an increase in traffic and impact on public safety.

Local councillor John Cole said that, as health boards across Wales move towards more care being delivered locally, demand for the surgery – and parking spaces – was surely set to increase.

The committee agreed to attend a site inspection on January 14 so members could see the parking situation for themselves.

Speaking on Tuesday, Cllr Stephen Joseph said: “I’m not going to talk about the application; I’m going to talk about safety and human beings.”

He said people who use the medical centre are sick and old and should not be expected to park 150 metres down the road.

Cllr Ken Rowlands also raised concerns.

“We’ve got to consider the future development of the medical centre as care in the community," he said.

"I think we’re being short-sighted.”

Cllr Jacob Williams said the site visit had been helpful, as members has been made aware that one of the original planning conditions for the health centre was that all the spaces be allocated for staff and patients.

Asked why this had now changed, the council’s Development Manager David Popplewell said the car parking standards had been revised, which had reduced the requirements.