The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7399 p523
6 May 2006

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Mezzanine floor development to require permission

Retailers wishing to expand their sales space by building a mezzanine floor will be subject to new restrictions from 10 May. In a bid to curb the expansion of large out-of-town businesses and strengthen town centres, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has stipulated that retailers wishing to increase their internal retail floor space by more than 200 square metres will require planning permission from the local planning authority.

Last year, the National Pharmacy Association and the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee responded to the ODPM’s consultation on the matter, calling for the restriction of any internal extension that would bring a store’s floor space above the 15,000 square metre threshold that would exempt it from restrictions on the award of new pharmacy contracts.

The NPA has welcomed the changes. Raj Nutan, NPA pharmacy business manager, commented: “It is important that the viability of the community pharmacy network continues and there is stability for our members.”

Under the changes, most planning applications will need to include a design and access statement, addressing issues such as disabled access. “At a local level the high users of community pharmacy — typically the elderly and young mothers — [need to] have continued accessibility to community pharmacy facilities,” said Mr Nutan.