Thames Dental Surgery in Leigh plans for new practice rooms

Thames Dental Surgery, located on London Road, has submitted a planning application to convert two existing one-bedroom flats on the first and second floors of its site into clinical space.

If approved, the expanded practice would help address growing demand amid Southend’s ongoing dental crisis.

In 2023, a report from Healthwatch Southend described a shortage of NHS dentistry as having a "physical and emotional" impact on residents.

Site - Thames Dental Surgery on London Road (Image: Google Maps)

Many have been unable to secure appointments, while others have avoided treatment due to unaffordable costs.

The Healthwatch report concluded that urgent action was needed to restore capacity within NHS dentistry.

Fifteen per cent of residents surveyed said they avoided the dentist entirely due to the cost of care.

If approved, the dental surgery’s plans would see the loss of two homes but add three new treatment rooms that would join those already operating on the ground floor.

Internal space for dental services would increase by 116.6 square metres.

The practice currently employs the equivalent of three full-time staff, and the expansion would support four part-time roles, adding up to two full-time equivalent positions.

No changes to the building’s exterior or parking arrangements are proposed, and the site would retain three car parking spaces and two cycle spaces.

The application was submitted on February 22, 2026, with BDA Architecture acting as the agent.

Southend Council will review the application and make it available for public comment on its planning register.

A decision will be made after the consultation period, giving residents the opportunity to share their views.