An expanding dental surgery has seen plans to replace its garden with a new car park thrown out by the city council - despite there being an "obvious need" for improved facilities.

Patnam Elphick & Associates, in Earlham Road, had wanted to build a new car park in order to cope with an increase in patients as the surgery gets bigger.

The plans would have seen the addition of five more car spaces.

The three "inadequate" slots to the front of the property would then be converted into one accessible and one standard space.

But the proposals have been thrown out by Norwich City Council due to concerns over access, the health of nearby trees, the removal of green garden space and the loss of privacy and increased vehicle noise for neighbours.

The private practice had already seen plans approved by the city council to extend its first floor so that it can welcome more patients.

As a condition of the approval, the surgery was told it would need to build a new car park.

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A decision should have been made by the end of April, but the city council's highways team objected to it and ordered the surgery to resubmit its plans.

It was the third time a plan for the parking had been refused by the authority's highways team.

A planning statement from the dental surgery read: "The rear garden is surplus to requirements so the surface of the new car park will be via car park matting with gravel to maintain the permeable status.

"It is the applicant’s and agent’s opinion that this application will help with the obvious need for such expansion of the car park."

According to bosses at the surgery, it has a considerable waiting list which would begin to accept new patients once expansion plans are complete.

There are also plans to employ two more members of full-time staff.