A new GP surgery has been proposed to replace an ‘old cramped’ premises in Newbury.

Eastfield house Surgery, currently located on St John’s Road, is an NHS healthcare facility that is 68 percent undersized according to an assessment of NHS space allowances.

A proposal to build a new primary care facility on the land behind Newbury College has been submitted by Greenham Trust Limited.

The new health centre will provide larger and more up-to-date facilities for patients across West Berkshire on the currently underdeveloped land.

The plan is to include 72 parking spaces and five disabled parking spaces for use by patients and staff.

The proposal said: “The new facility will be 1,429sqm GIA together with an integrated local pharmacy, together with 58 visitor car parking spaces and 14 staff parking spaces, patient drop-off facilities, ambulance parking, cycle parking and changing facilities and will be BREEAM Excellent.

“The project has NHS support and business case (Project Initiation Document – PID) approval at this stage, with Outline Business Case and Full Business Case approval to follow on successful planning approval."

 According to the application, the plan has gained support from the MP for Newbury – Laura Ferris - and the Primary Care Network.

The vision set out by developers and the Greenham Trust is to provide somewhere to serve the current needs of the patients, together with improved access, patient and staff facilities.

There have been several residents and patients who have raised their support for the potential facilities.

A patient of the existing Eastfield House GP Surgery, Derek Brattle said: "As my wife and I are long-standing patients of the existing Eastfield House Surgery, we consider it vital that this excellent proposed relocation be approved.

"Without this re-development the available health services to the town will diminish considerably. With the proposed increased housing numbers south of Newbury, the current restricted practice facilities will be unable to accommodate any additional patients without relocation & building expansion."

Another resident said: "We are in support of a much needed bigger GP practice on the proposed site at Highwood Copse Way. Larger, modern premises will accommodate more patients, improve access and expand the services GPs can offer the local people.

"This will be an investment in the future healthcare and wellbeing of our community."

The facility is proposed to include a large number of consultation and treatment rooms, a large waiting room, and an onsite pharmacy.