A city dental surgery with plans to expand is hoping to replace its garden with a new car park.

Patnam Elphick and Associates, in Earlham Road, wants to build a new car park in order to cope with an increase in patients as the surgery gets bigger.

The practice has already seen plans approved by Norwich City Council to extend its first floor so that it can welcome more people.

According to bosses, the surgery has a considerable waiting list which would begin to accept new patients once expansion plans are complete.

There are also plans to employ two more members of full-time staff.

However, the city council's transport department asked that more car parking spaces were provided if the plans went ahead.

It comes as reports patients are living with missing teeth and abscesses in their gums having battled for months to try and get a dental appointment.

Schools have even been forced to step in and help with children's check-ups due to the lack of dentists welcoming patients.

People in Norfolk and Waveney have among the most limited dental access in England, with statistics showing just one NHS dentist for every 2,600 people.

But early plans emerged last year, with the backing of local MPs, for the possibility of a new dentistry school at the University of East Anglia to be explored.

If approved, the plans for Patnam Elphick and Associates will see four more car spaces, two motorcycle bays and four bicycle slots added.

There are already three car parking spaces in front of the practice.

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The surface will be gravelled and a new access point on Beverley Road would also be added. 

Commenters will have until Friday, March 24, to make their feelings known and it is hoped the new car park will be approved by Thursday, April 27.

Plans to increase the size of the dentist will see four new treatment rooms across 221sqm of floor space added to the building.