PROPOSALS for a new pharmacy in Bodmin appear to be in jeopardy after an application seeking the permission required to open and operate a pharmacy were refused by the regulator.

South West Pharmaceutical Services Regulations Committee, after considering the application by Banns Pharmacy Ltd to open a new pharmacy on land at Queen’s Crescent, Bodmin elected to refuse the application.

It means that despite getting planning approval to site a temporary portacabin type building on the site at Queens Crescent, it will not be permitted to open a pharmacy at that site as things stand, although it is able to appeal if it wishes.

The planning application to physically site the portacabin on land at Queen’s Crescent was met with vociferous objections from some of the residents nearby, with 59 objections submitted to Cornwall Council. Among the conditions for approval, lasting three years were restrictions on the times that the site was permitted to operate.

The application for the permission to open the pharmacy was objected to by Bosvena Health, Kernow LMC and the two rival pharmacies.

In a report accompanying the letter confirming the refusal of the application, South West Pharmaceutical Services Regulations Committee detailed the reasons why it refused to grant permission to open a pharmacy at the site stipulated - which was unconnected to the objections to the planning application by residents.

It also confirmed that the site was considered to be within 1.6 kilometres of Bosvena Health’s dispensary.

The committee deemed that the applicant had not demonstrated that there was a need for an additional pharmacy to be opened in the town.

The regulation, known as Regulation 18(1)(b) concerns applications that might not be supported by the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) but would still confer significant benefits on the local population. It requires the health service commissioning board to consider whether granting the application would offer substantial advantages to people in the area which was not anticipated when the PNA was published.

These include factors such as patient choice, addressing inequality and promoting innovation.

The committee which made the decision to refuse the application by Banns Pharmacy noted that in its view, the application did not meet the requirements to demonstrate unforeseen need, therefore necessitating refusal.

Tindle Newspapers Cornwall Ltd understands that among these factors are likely to be the proposed opening hours of the pharmacy being daytime and part-weekend only, meaning that it did not deviate from the opening hours of other pharmacies in the town.

Cllr Andy Coppin, a town councillor who objected to the planning application, sharing the concerns of the residents who objected to its location, welcomed the decision, stating: “I am pleased that the local health authority has seen fit not to grant a license so this cannot go ahead.

“A new pharmacy in the new Bosvena Health surgery would be far more appropriate. I am pleased that our MP has confirmed funding for this project meaning it will go ahead.”

Banns Pharmacy has been approached for comment.