The former Ardler GP surgery can be turned into a children’s nursery, the city council has decided.
The Turnberry Avenue surgery was run by Dr Dennis Charles Miller until 2011, when NHS Tayside placed restrictions on him.
Its closure forced hundreds of patients to find a new GP and prompted an ongoing campaign by Ardler residents, who believe a replacement part-time clinic is insufficient and want to see healthcare provision in the area restored to its former level.
Dr Miller was suspended for six months in March by the Medical Practitioners’ Tribunal Service after more than 20 allegations against him were found proved, including running a methadone clinic without proper training.
He applied to the city council for planning permission that would allow his former surgery to be turned into a nursery capable of looking after up to 40 children at a time.
Consent has now been granted, although the maximum number of children has been set at 33.
A planning officer’s report said risk assessment had identified areas of contaminated soil in the grounds of the building and noted that Dr Miller proposed to remove the top soil and lay artificial grass to provide a safe play area.
The nursery will occupy the ground floor of the two-storey building and apart from a fence around the grounds no external alterations are planned.
The report said: “Throughout the nursery day there may be successive groups of children playing in the garden which has the potential to disturb neighbours. The adjoining residential properties comprise two dwelling houses and a residential nursing home.”
However, it was said the impact of the noise was unlikely to be significant given that it was already a busy area with a primary school nearby.
The planning officer said the application breached aspects of the local development plan, but the building had limited alternative uses and was well suited to meets the needs of a nursery school.
“In these particular circumstances, it is considered that these material circumstances are sufficient to weigh against the policy constraints and support the granting of planning permission contrary to the development plan,” the officer said.