A busy dental practice in Hythe has submitted plans to relocate across town in a move it says would help address a “severe lack of medical facilities” in the area.
Pennypot Dental is seeking planning permission to leave its current premises in Martello Drive and move nearly a mile away to Barrack Hill. An application has been lodged with Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC).
Under the proposals, the existing Martello Drive surgery would be converted back into a residential property. The practice would then operate from a new site created by transforming two neighbouring homes on Barrack Hill into a modern dental facility.
Planning documents state the relocation is intended to ease pressure on “existing, potentially overcrowded, facilities within the town”. The new location is described as a short, level walk from the town centre and well served by public transport.
Barrack Hill is also highlighted as having readily available on-street parking. The plans include a dedicated disabled parking bay with step-free access via a ramp.
As part of the scheme, a currently blocked garden gate would be reopened onto the Military Road footpath, providing an additional entrance to the site. The two properties would be linked by a single-storey extension housing a new reception and waiting area.
Inside, the ground floor would be largely open plan and include two treatment rooms, creating what planners describe as a multi-chair dental practice.
While the proposal conflicts with the council’s broader aim to increase housing supply, Pennypot Dental says the net loss would be limited to one home, as the former surgery would revert to residential use.
The application also seeks to reassure neighbouring residents, stating the design has been carefully planned to avoid overlooking or overshadowing nearby properties.
Pennypot Dental operates six practices across Kent, serving Hawkinge, Hythe, New Romney, Ashford, Deal and Edenbridge.
FHDC is expected to make a decision on the application by March 16. No public comments have been submitted so far.