The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 274 No 7353 p699
11 June 2005

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Consultation document PDF (230K)
PSNC response PDF (100K)

Floor space exemption should exclude added mezzanines

Pharmacies under 15,000 square metres should not be allowed to have mezzanines added in order to extend their floor space and become exempt from the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2005, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee has said.

Responding to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister’s consultation “Planning control of mezzanine and other internal floorspace additions”, the PSNC said it believes that proposals to create more than 200 square metres of additional retail floor space should require planning permission.

The National Pharmaceutical Association accepts, in its response, that a threshold is required to exclude small internal mezzanine developments from requiring planning permission, but sees 200 square metres as a low threshold.

The NPA is urging the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to treat each case individually and to consider the impact on the community pharmacy network of mezzanine extensions that increase floor space above 15,000 square meters.