A chiropractic clinic has been refused permission to relocate to a ground floor site to make it easier for patients to visit.

Philip and Joanne Jones run the Chard Chiropractic Clinic, which is located on the first floor of the Essex House Medical Centre on the A30 Fore Street.

The couple, who also operate clinics in Taunton and Wellington, applied to relocate their Chard clinic to a bungalow on the A358 Furnham Road, arguing it would make it easier for patients to attend appointments.

But South Somerset District Council’s area west committee refused the plans on Wednesday (October 19), claiming that vehicles would not be able to safely pull out onto the main road due to a lack of visibility.

The bungalow in question – called Lavington – lies on the eastern side of Furnham Road, sandwiched between the main road and the industrial buildings on Furnham Crescent.

Mrs Jones, who lives in Newton Abbot, told the area west committee when it met in Chard on Wednesday evening (October 19): “Many of our patients, some of whom struggle to walk, are having to travel further to access care.

“There will not be a significant increase in vehicle movements. We have a written agreement with our neighbour to the right, who is a huge supporter of this application, to lower the wall to increase visibility.”

The Jones’ intended relocation coincided with the merger of Essex House Medical Centre with the Tawstock Medical Centre on St. Mary’s Crescent to form Ariel Healthcare – though Mrs Jones stated this had not prompted or influenced their decision.

Christine Mitchell, who has lived at the other neighbouring property since 1967, said the plans would make an already busy road even more dangerous.

She said: “The entrance and exit onto the A358 from our property has always been extremely difficult to negotiate.

“The exit from this property is also difficult because the driveway is much steeper and slopes down towards the property.

“There have been dozens of accidents on this stretch of the road over the years, both during the day and at night.

“My children and grandchildren were banned from our front garden at all times for safety reasons. This will be an accident waiting to happen.”

The committee voted to refuse the plans by eight votes to one.