A chemist in Rottingdean can close and be demolished to make way for a new shop with flats above.
Councillors granted planning permission to Wetton Cleaning Services Retirement Benefit Scheme to redevelop the Rottingdean Pharmacy building at 2-4 West Street, between Tesco and the dentist surgery.
Brighton and Hove Independent councillor Mark Earthey told a meeting at Hove Town Hall that he was concerned about the loss of the pharmacy.
When Brighton and Hove City Council’s Planning Committee approved the plans on Wednesday (10 January), Councillor Earthey, who represents West Saltdean and Rottingdean, abstained.
Councillor Earthey told the committee that the pharmacy was a “one-man band” having previously been run by a large national chain.
He said that it was “well used” by residents. People with mobility issues could park outside, he said, and come and go using the ramp to and from the front door.
Councillor Earthey said: “The retail floor plan in the building, even if the pharmacist moves out for a while and moves back in again, isn’t really suitable for a pharmacist.
“There’s no space for a consulting room or any kind of private space for vaccinations. There is no mention of any internal wall soundproofing.”
He said that the space did not seem big enough for a pharmacy because they required large storerooms as well as a prescription processing area.
If the pharmacy went, the nearest alternatives would be in Saltdean, Woodingdean or Asda at Brighton Marina.
The Planning Committee was told that the shop was not restricted to being a pharmacy but could be used for any type of retail when it reopened.
But the existing pharmacist has been offered a long-term lease on the new shop.
Green councillor Sue Shanks said that Rottingdean Parish Council should contact Brighton and Hove City Council’s Health and Wellbeing Board about pharmacies in the area.
She said: “It would be worth checking if there is an assessment of whether there are enough pharmacies in the area.
“It’s a separate thing from when someone wants to open the shop. If there wasn’t a pharmacy, I think they can try to find somebody to run it.”
Labour councillor Jacob Allen approved of the design because the building’s proposed flint finish would be in keeping with the rest of the centre of the village.
Councillor Allen also addressed parking concerns, saying that: “I can’t think of an area in the east of the city that’s better connected by buses going east, west and north. Obviously you can’t go south.
“It’s a real interchange. The ramp and the step need to go so I’m glad this is a step-free development.”
Conservative councillor Carol Theobald said: “It’s a shame to lose the pharmacy if that’s the only one in Rottingdean. That would be a great pity.
“I thought the design could be better than that. I was worried about the car parking but the owners might not have a car and there are lots of buses outside.”
Cllr Earthey should see the size of some of the smallest pharmacies I’ve worked in, for a 2.4k item pharmacy, you don’t need a lot of space.
They don’t require large stockrooms, the reality is nearly every pharmacy is overstocked because they generally don’t use their usage data to inform their stock levels, and to be even more reductive, outside of some acute medications you want to be able to dispense immediately for clinical reasons, you can employ JIT practices, requiring even less space.
There are reasons why they don’t this, mainly angry people being unreasonable, and can be some of the most disrespectful retail customers. Not worth the aggro for a lot of pharmacy staff, so I don’t blame them at all.
Also, Cllr Shanks should be made aware that the work she is requesting already exists as a standard publication. The Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment is available right now.
I agree though that it is a fair walk to the next closest one, Healthy U. I’ve already shared my thoughts that brick and mortar pharmacies are not very efficient, and modern pharmacy is a logistical challenge more than anything else.
Has he ever been to Boots on North Street?
The actual dispensing space isn’t large at all.
And as you say using “just in time” and automatic ordering they don’t need a large stock of most drugs because large stocks aren’t needed on a daily basis.
It’s much needed accommodation. Lot of NIMBY in Rottingdean. They can all afford to park their 4×4 on the pavements like school pick up time.
Hope the Queen Vic is also soon turned in to accommodation, hopefully social housing. Much needed change.