GOLSPIE Dental Health Practice's plans to move into bigger premises have been given the green light.

Local planners have approved, under delegated powers, an application from the practice for planning consent to convert an office unit in Golspie's industrial estate into a new surgery.

The unit – number 11 – is located close to the offices of The Northern Times and is also adjacent to two units occupied by GREAN (Golspie Recycling and Environmental Action Network). Various tradesmen also occupy units on the busy estate.

It was originally leased to Seaforth Litho before being converted some years ago by Highlands and Islands Enterprise into an office suitable for use as a call centre.

However, it was never used for that purpose.

Area planning manager Allan Todd said GREAN had objected to the application on a number of grounds including the increase in traffic the new surgery would bring and the possibility of friction between its activities and those of the surgery.

Dental practice manager Jacek Dziamecki and his dentist wife Agnieszka recently revealed that they were looking to expand the practice.

The couple have employed another dentist, Jolanta Januszewska-Zwolinska, in addition to support staff, and want the extra space to run two surgeries in tandem.

Mr Dziamecki has previously said that it was estimated it would take at least eight weeks to renovate the unit and the practice was hoping to be in their new premises by the turn of the year.