A new defibrillator and bleed kit will be installed in Scarborough’s town centre after plans were given the green light.
The Nationwide Building Society has been granted permission to install life-saving equipment outside its office at 50, Westborough, opposite The Lord Rosebery Wetherspoon pub.
It comes as all 605 Nationwide branches aim to have a defibrillator and a bleed control kit installed by the end of the year.
St John'S Ambulance Defibrillator And Bleed Cabinet Designs.
The Scarborough bank will place a defibrillator and bleed kit for public use as part of its commitment to “supporting the community we serve” and said it wanted to ensure people have “rapid, 24/7 access to vital emergency equipment whenever it is needed”.
Amanda Beech, Nationwide’s director of retail services, said: “Nationwide’s unique reach as the UK’s largest branch network gives us the ability to put life-saving equipment where it matters most – in places people already know and trust in their communities.
“By transforming our branches into visible, emergency hubs, we’re making it easier to access help when every second counts.
“Crucially, we’re also offering training to all our branch colleagues, before extending that training into the communities we serve. We want more people to feel prepared, confident and ready to act when it matters most.”
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Planning officers said the “modest dimensions” of the equipment would ensure it “remains subordinate to the building and surrounding street scene”, whilst noting that its “removable nature means that this will not result in a permanent alteration to the building”.
They added: “The proposal is not considered to cause harm to the Scarborough Conservation Area and is considered to be of a scale and size to integrate with the surrounding area whilst being prominent in appearance to be seen in an emergency.”
No objections to the scheme were made by the Highway Authority or Scarborough Town Council.
The bank originally wanted to install separate defibrillator and bleed control kit cabinets.
Proposed Elevations For Installation Of Combined Defibrillator And Bleed Kit Cabinet, 50 Westborough, Scarborough.
However, “in cases like this, where there is insufficient space on the branch’s external elevation to accommodate two cabinets, we propose installing a single cabinet to house both pieces of equipment”.
“The defibrillator and bleed kit will be housed in a secure cabinet installed to the external wall of the Nationwide Building Society branch, and the details of the cabinet, from St John’s Ambulance, along with the branding that Nationwide Building Society intend to apply to the face of the cabinet,” according to submitted plans.
Planners stated the development would not have an unacceptable negative impact on the amenity of existing and future uses of the site.
The proposal was approved, subject to conditions, on Friday, October 9.