Defibrillator and bleed kit plans for Oswestry building society

Nationwide Building Society has applied for permission to have life-saving equipment in Oswestry.

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The proposal is to add a cabinet to the front of its Church Street branch that will house both a defibrillator and bleed kit.

Defibrillators are used to save people suffering from a cardiac arrest, when swift action is essential to prevent death.

Bleed kits, meanwhile, are emergency first-aid resources designed to manage catastrophic, life-threatening bleeding before emergency services arrive.

The Oswestry branch is a Grade II listed building dating from the 19th century. Other nearby listed buildings include the Church of St Oswald that dates from the 12th century.

Kirsten Chapman, from A&Q Partnership (London) Ltd, representing Nationwide, said it is proposed to have the cabinet on the front of the branch, where it will have the least impact on the surrounding buildings while also being publicly accessible and visible.

She said: “The cabinets can be removed if they become redundant and the benefits of installing these cabinets are potentially lifesaving, so we consider that this outweighs any harm to the appearance of the conservation area.

“Together, the Nationwide branch and Church of St Oswald help illustrate Oswestry long history and distinctive character.

“Their presence highlights the importance of ensuring that new development and alterations are carefully designed so that they respect and complement the established historic environment.”

A similar proposal that Nationwide applied for in Ludlow was turned down. This was because, according to Shropshire Council, the public benefit of having the equipment outside its King Street branch would not outweigh the harm on the historic setting.

“This is a relatively large structure to occupy a kerbside position in a narrow street, and the application has failed to demonstrate its true impact by only providing an unrepresentative oblique view from the east,” read the decision notice.

“Any other street furniture of this size such as a notice board or even a highways directional sign would not normally be acceptable in this location because it would be over obtrusive in the streetscape and would interrupt views of surrounding buildings.

“As such, the proposal is considered to be unacceptable as it would result in an adverse impact upon the setting of the nearby listed buildings and would fail to preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the conservation area.”

Nationwide explained that the proposed site had been put forward due to the lack of space on the pavement outside its own nearby branch, and the need for a power supply.

Its planning statement said: “The cabinets need to be in a prominent location where they can easily be seen and at a height where they can be reached in case they are needed in an emergency.”