Aquarius Veterinary Centre in Mildenhall seeks permission to demolish and replace building in Field Road with new surgery

An independent veterinary centre in a town is seeking permission to demolish and replace its building with a new surgery.

Sensus Architecture has submitted the development plans to West Suffolk Council on behalf of Aquarius Veterinary Centre in Mildenhall.

The family-owned veterinary practice has been established at its current site in Field Road since 1986.

The clinic, which specialises in treating small animals, sits on a site spanning 2298 sq metres.

A design and access statement said: “In an industry increasingly dominated by practices owned by large national group companies, Aquarius Vets is unusual in being an independent, family-owned veterinary clinic.

“The premises have never been ideally suited to operation as a veterinary clinic, having been originally designed to serve a retail aquatics and garden centre that previously occupied the site (and later serving as a gift shop), but are now critically impacting both the ability to expand the existing business, and to meet current standards.

“The practice now finds itself very seriously limited by its current buildings, which both restrict the services it is able to offer and limit the growth of the business.

“There is a clear opportunity to expand the level of service to the local community if this limitation can be addressed.”

The application looks to replace the existing buildings with a new, purposed-designed building that meets current Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons registration standards whilst also facilitating expansion of the business.

This includes doubling the number of consulting rooms from two to four as well as enhancing surgical and supporting facilities.

A design and access statement further said: “The proposed development will support the continued operation and future expansion of an established business, which has delivered an important economic and social contribution to Mildenhall for several decades.

“In so doing, the proposal will also facilitate the replacement of an outdated, energy-inefficient building of low constructional quality with a new, energy efficient and fully-accessible building.”

If the proposals are approved, this will mean the number of staff employed at the surgery will double from 5 full-time equivalent staff on site (comprising 5 vets, 4 veterinary nurses and 3 administrative and reception staff, in part time/shift attendance), to 10 full-time equivalent staff (in similar proportions for part time/shift attendance).