Mr Vij left Machynlleth last year to return to Ireland

Gaurav Vij ran a NHS practice in Machynlleth, Powys, for nearly two years, but quit the town in May last year to return home to Dublin.

He has submitted an application with Powys Council which planners are expected to consider in December.

Local health watchdogs and local assembly member Glyn Davies have welcomed Mr Vij's planned return.

He was replaced at the town's health centre by another dentist who decided to return to the area.

Montgomeryshire Community Health Council, said it welcomed Mr Vij's decision to return to Powys.

We should do everything possible to make it easy for dentists to move into the area Glyn Davies AM

Mr Vij said he planned to turn existing office space into the surgery, if the plans are approved.

"A dentist closed last year in Aberdyfi (Gwynedd) with the loss of 1,000 patients so I expect to take up a lot of that, as well as as unregistered patients from Machynlleth and further a field as west Wales and Ceredigion is the biggest blackspot for the shortage of dentists in the UK."

He added that new disability laws had forced him to look for other premises instead of traditional high street shops.

Powys Council confirmed it had received Mr Vij's application.

A spokesman said: "We have received a planning application to convert part of a factory unit..on the Dyfi Eco-Park, Machynlleth, to a dental surgery".

Dyfi Eco-Park is home to businesses involved in renewable energy projects.

Glyn Davies, AM for Mid and West Wales, said there was a desperate need for dentists in rural Wales.

"We should do everything possible to make it easy for dentists to move into the area and set up new surgeries.

"I accept that the Welsh Development Agency (WDA) factories in Machynlleth have been built for manufacturing industry, but I very much hope that the shortage of NHS dentists will persuade the planning authority to allow the application."

The WDA, which owns the unit, said it had agreed to lease the unit to the dentist providing he received planning permission.

A spokesman said: "Whilst this is not normal practice for the WDA to rent such space for these purposes, we realise that there is a profound problem as far as dental care in the town and accommodation to house such facilities.

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"As Dr Vij would be bringing a much needed service to the community we have agreed, subject to him receiving the necessary planning approval for change of use of the room."

Mr Vij originally opened a practice at Machynlleth health centre in September 2002, but he left in May 2004.

He was replaced, that month, by dentist Rudi Botha and people queued along a street in the town to register with him.

The shortage of NHS dentists has led to the Welsh Assembly Government offering �50,000 'golden hellos' as an incentive to set up practices.

Powys Local Health Board said it did not comment about individual cases.