THE green light has been given for a successful NHS dentist practice to expand, despite the planning application being recommended for refusal.

The Bear Cross practice in Fulwood Avenue, Bournemouth, looks after 12,000 residents and urgently needs to relocate to larger and more accessible premises.

The practice applied for permission to move from its premises in a parade of shops to a next door bungalow to allow them to cater for 2,500 additional patients.

Supporting the application at a planning board meeting, Martyn Rogers from the Primary Care Trust, said: "Based on demand, we feel there is a strong need to support additional dental capacity in the area."

Ward councillors also backed the application. Cllr Ben Grower said: "I'm concerned about the loss of a dental practice in the area, particularly the loss of one that deals with NHS patients."

He added that many patients who use the practice are elderly or infirm. "This practice has to update and make some alterations; it has done as much as it can to find alternative accommodation. There is no disabled access or staff room.

"With larger premises they could expand to two extra surgeries, giving them an additional dentist or hygienist. We have not received any objections from local residents."

But planning officer Alexis Edwards said the principal issue was loss of a residential unit. In a report to the board he added that the surgery owners had not appeared to have looked for alternative commercial premises.

But the application won cross-party support. A move to approve by Cllr Beryl Baxter, seconded by vice-chairman Cllr Ron Whittaker, was carried by a unanimous vote.

Chairman John Beesley stressed that the decision did not "set a precedent for other residential locations."

Afterwards the dental surgeon Dr Oghabi Sajjadi said: "I'm very pleased and relieved; it has taken a long time to get to this stage."