A new dental surgery looks set to be built on Carlisle’s Durranhill Industrial Estate.

If approved, it will see the existing Eden Dental Practice on Warwick Road relocate.

Plans have been submitted by Dr Liz Mather, a dentist at the surgery.

She has earmarked a plot of land at Brunel Way/Eastern Way, next to the Carlisle East fire station.

The site – part of the old Border TV development – is being sold off by Carlisle City Council.

It is proposed to build a new dental surgery, with eight treatment rooms, on the vacant piece of land.

The practice would employ 20 full-time staff.

Dr Mather said in March they had earmarked a new site, but were first surveying patients to gauge opinion.

At the time it looked like the majority were in favour.

Now a formal planning application has this week been submitted to the city council for consideration.

A design and access statement drawn up by Bristol-based Matthew Deering Architects accompanies it.

It states: “It is proposed to build a new dental facility to the highest modern standards, serving a broad area.

“There is good public transport stopping nearby, clear cycle access and racks for both staff and patients, and ample car parking included on site.”

The city council is selling off the former Border TV site in parcels, with a new access road being provided off Brunel Way.

In terms of the practice’s design, the application states: “The aim is to design a building of very high sustainability standards, both for environmental awareness but also for use in use benefits.”

The practice would have a floor space of 600 sq m.

Eden Dental Practice currently sees a mixture of private and NHS patients.

Its entry on the NHS Choices website states: “Our practice provides private dental care, Denplan membership and a limited amount of NHS dental care.

“We are commissioned by the NHS to provide oral surgery and sedation services for patients referred to us by other dentists.

“We provide a full range of dental services including sedation, for those patients who are particularly anxious about treatment.”

It currently employs four dentists, an oral surgeon and a dental therapist.

The existing practice, in a converted Warwick Road terraced house, does not have a dedicated car park, disabled parking spaces or wheelchair access.

Dr Mather has said the building is also too restrictive for the expanding practice, with patients who need longer treatments limited by two-hour disc parking and access an issue.

Instead they want to create a purpose-built surgery.

She previously said that a move, which must have approval from medical authorities, could not happen before August 2017.