The Penn Surgery, located in the village of Penn and Tylers Green in Buckinghamshire, is part of a group practice; the other practice being the Simpson Centre in Beaconsfield. Together they provide primary health care services for close to 15,000 patients, both NHS and Private.
Having outgrown their previous premises, Dr Cox and Partners, secured a business loan to fund the development of the new surgery and adjacent pharmacy building.
The new surgery is a contemporary two-storey building, which has been constructed using traditional block-work with a pitched timber, steel and slate roof.
Curved radius walls form a welcoming entrance; made more friendly by the treatment of the external elevations, which comprise self-coloured render and cedar cladding.
The ground floor of the surgery provides a reception/waiting area, with consulting rooms, treatment rooms, a records office and a plant room arranged either side of a central corridor. Upstairs is a health education suite, a kitchen, offices and research areas.
To meet strict planning regulations, the roof above a general office at the rear of the building is lower than the front; this creates an interesting roof line. Roof lights illuminate consulting rooms on the ground floor, filling the building with natural light.
The treatment of the curved entrance to the two-storey pharmacy building has been designed to compliment the surgery entrance opposite. The ground floor houses the pharmacy and the 1st floor has been let to an osteopath.
Challenges and solutions
The site is situated alongside a busy main road and this together with a very narrow plot resulted in restricted access.
All materials had to be brought through the centre of the site.
Deliveries had to be made within specific time schedules, as lorries could not unload on the street and there was little room for storage.
The construction of the surgery and the adjacent pharmacy had to be carefully phased, as there was not enough room to scaffold both buildings at the same time.
"Beard was a considerate contractor. They were easy to work with and friendly. I would have no qualms about recommending their work to other people because the finished product speaks for itself."
Dr Paul Theobald, Partner, Penn Surgery
Customer
Dr Cox and Partners, Penn, Bucks
Architect
Brocklehurst Architects, High Wycombe, Bucks
Quantity surveyor
Brocklehurst Architects, High Wycombe, Bucks
