Burnley GP surgery expansion approved

One of the top-rated GP surgeries in Burnley is set for a major overhaul that will effectively double it in size and allow it to see more patients, after receiving approval from the town’s planning committee.

Burnley Wood Medical Centre on Parliament Street can now go-ahead with building a large single storey extension on its North-facing side, allowing for four additional consultation rooms and a training area for its staff.

Alongside this, the practice’s 6900 patients will notice a revamped entrance, reception and waiting room when the work is completed, with the whole extension being built out of similar materials to the already existing structure.

But while the approved application to expand Burnley Wood Medical Centre, was approved at committee, the improvements were not uncontroversial.

Five objections from nearby residents and ward Councillor Jeff Sumner (Reform UK) were submitted in response to the application, raising concerns about a loss of privacy, the extension’s ‘overbearing impact’ on nearby homes, and its consequent increased demand for parking.

This is in part due to its increased capacity, with the new part of the medical practice effectively removing five parking spaces. However, the development will only involve the loss of one space overall, with more spaces being created through the removal of vehicle access from Parliament Street.

The application did receive two letters in its support, including one from the ward’s Labour Cllr Margaret Brindle, which argued that the expanded practice’s impact on local traffic would be minimised by the availability of off-street parking at nearby homes, as well as the short duration of each patient’s visit.

The supporting statement adds: “Given that medical services can be overstretched and under pressure, the initiative to take this medical practice forward to provide even better service has to be recognised.”

This is the second time that Burnley Wood Medical Centre has received planning permission for a major extension, previously being awarded approval for a similar expansion in 2017. This permission has since lapsed, with the nearby Burton Court homes built in the intervening years.

As part of its 2026 application, a number of changes to the type and height of the extension’s roof have been made following consultation with Burnley Council’s planning department, in order to reduce its impact on the light levels and sight lines of these neighbouring houses.

Cllr Brindle said: “The revised submission is a much better proposal, and addresses the concerns of the neighbouring residents taking into account their legitimate objections under planning regulations. I trust that their concerns have been taken fully into account, now that the revised proposals have superseded the original submission.”

Consequently, officer recommended that the planning committee approve the health centre’s expansion, attaching conditions to their approval regarding the materials used, and requiring that any windows facing Burton Court be glazed to protect residents’ privacy.