The installation of a new defibrillator and bleed kit in Scarborough has been backed by local councillors.
A bank wants to install a defibrillator and bleed kit for public use in the town centre as part of its commitment to “supporting the community we serve”.
Nationwide Building Society has applied to place the life-saving equipment outside its office at 50, Westborough, opposite the Lord Rosebery Wetherspoon pub.
The bank said it wants to ensure people have “rapid, 24/7 access to vital emergency equipment whenever it is needed”.
Scarborough town councillors said they were in favour of the plans at a meeting on Thursday, September 17. The parish council’s Planning and Licensing Committee voted unanimously to support the plans, which are yet to be decided on by North Yorkshire Council.
The bank said it would ideally install separate defibrillator and bleed control kit cabinets; 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.
A design statement sent to North Yorkshire Council adds: “The cabinet needs to be in a prominent location where it can easily be seen and, at a height where it can be reached in case the equipment is needed in an emergency.
“We have proposed that the cabinet is fixed in a location that, whilst prominent, has limited impact on the appearance of the conservation area.
“The cabinet can be removed if it becomes redundant, as the installation of this equipment is potentially lifesaving; we consider that this outweighs any harm to the appearance of the conservation area.”
The local planning authority has not set a date for deciding on the plans, which are open to representations from members of the public.
By: Anttoni James Numminen, LDRS
