Plans have been submitted to Darlington Borough Council to make alterations to a former MFI store to create a healthcare facility.

The unit, based next to Halfords, in Russell Street, Darlington, will provide dialysis services with up to 20 treatment stations, along with associated support functions. The unit will treat NHS patients from the local area requiring long-term haemodialysis treatment.

The subject property is a vacant retail unit previously used as an MFI store before conversion to three separate units.

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The surrounding area is of mixed use with existing housing to the opposite side of Russell Street and commercial premises including the adjacent British Heart Foundation and Halfords to one side and Riverside Motor dealership to the rear.

The existing unit is a large single storey building, part of the overall shopping centre complex constructed from brick and block walling to the external walls with a metal clad pitched roof.

There is evidence of a previous mezzanine level with bricked-up openings to the front elevation.

It is intended that the fenestration of the building will remain generally unchanged with only minor alterations to a few elements to suit the new internal layout and use.

The main entrance to the building will remain with new automatic aluminium sliding doors incorporated.

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Service deliveries will be from the existing fully enclosed service yard at the rear of the premises, separate from the main public entrance.

Existing access doors will be either retained and or replaced as indicated on the proposed elevation drawings in aluminium framed door sets.

Principle alterations to the fenestration include the insertion of several dark grey coloured UPVC framed double glazed windows to front, side and rear elevations, to create natural daylight into the existing building footprint.

Internally all windows will benefit from either privacy blinds and or obscure privacy window film.

Existing car parking servicing the site will be retained and an allocated number of bays will be agreed by the landlord.

Existing landscaping and grassed area along the boundary with Russell Street will be retained, thereby maintaining the existing buffer zone to the adjacent dwellings.

The proposal also includes provision of a secured bin store and A/C enclosure.

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