The long-running bid to build a new doctors’ surgery in Churchdown is a step closer to finally becoming reality.
Doctors running the existing facility in the village’s St John’s Avenue have been searching for a site to relocate to for more than 20 years. They have outgrown their premises, which was originally built more than half a century ago to cater for 7,500 patients but now deals with 13,600.
With an extra 2,600 homes expected to be built in Churchdown, the pressure on those running the cramped site is growing.
Now the doctors’ application to build a new two-storey surgery on land in Parton Road next to the village’s community centre has been backed by the parish council.
Its members agreed at a meeting last night to recommend that Tewkesbury Borough Council grant planning permission.
Clerk Ruth Warne said today: “The council decided it strongly supports the application. Churchdown needs a larger surgery. The one in St John’s Avenue is too small.
“It can no longer really adequately provide for the needs of the patients. For many years, that’s been recognised.”
But she added that the council had raised a number of matters that it wanted to see addressed as part of the planning process.
They included the need to provide adequate access to the surgery, with some residents not being happy with the plan to have it going through the existing tree lined boundary with Parton Road.
Ruth said members felt a pedestrian crossing on the main Parton Road might be needed, double yellow lines on the old Parton Road might be required and consideration should be given to moving a bus stop on the main road.
Peter Bryant said he and some other residents living in the area agreed that the surgery should go on the site but felt the entrance was in the wrong place and could worsen existing parking problems linked to the community centre.
He added that he had also written to the borough council pointing out that it had not put a green advertisement notice at the site, informing people that the main application had been submitted.
The authority intends to consider the proposal by November 11 this year.