DERRY - A new credit union at 3 Windham Road has gained the conditional approval of the planning board.

Triangle Credit Union plans to renovate a former sports medicine building at the address, as well as tear down the garage and breezeway on the property, to build a 24- by 36-foot addition and a canopy that will accommodate two drive-through lanes and one ATM lane.

The building is serviced by town water and a private septic system in the front of the building, according to Chris Tymula of MHF design.

"The existing septic system needs to be replaced, and we're working with the (state Department of Environmental Services) to get that done," he said. Town administrator John Anderson suggested the credit union look at tying into the town sewer system, but according to Tymula, the credit union believed tying into town sewer would be prohibitively expensive.

However, Anderson noted that the town is going to begin work on a public sewer project on Rockingham Road beginning in the fall and that the credit union may want to reevaluate the potential cost.

"There are some options there where it might be beneficial to tie in," Anderson said.

One of the conditions of the planning board approval was that the credit union look at the possibility of tying into town sewer.

There are currently 38 parking spaces on the property, but Tymula said with the change of use, the credit union will only need 30 parking spaces.

Several residents and planning board members did raise concerns about the additional traffic generated by the project, specifically from vehicles making a left-hand turn into the credit union from Kendall Pond Road.

Tymus stated that a traffic study showed there would be little additional traffic generated by the project.

However, Anderson said those turning into the credit union on Kendall Pond Road could back up traffic behind them as the cars attempted to cross lanes. The planning board also made it a condition that the credit union take a closer look at the traffic situation on Kendall Pond Road.

Triangle Credit Union vice president Mark Warner said the credit union already has about 5,000 customers in the Derry area and does business with Parkland Medical Center.

"It's nice to get a place in Derry," he said.