Plans to extend Market Harborough Medical Centre in an effort to deal with rising patient numbers

A three phase plan to extend the Market Harborough Medical Centre has been submitted to the local council, in an effort to deal with rising patient numbers.

Management at the Coventry Road surgery are hoping to improve its services and meet local demand by expanding.

The applicant, Dr R Tosar, wants to build both a two storey and single storey front extension to the existing building and a part single, part two storey extension at the back. These will provide new consulting rooms, treatment rooms, a new pharmacy and supporting admin space for the practice.

According to planning documents, the development will be split into three phases and the first will see three new treatment rooms built on the ground floor, as well as four consultation rooms and the new pharmacy. Phase two will see a new office space and large meeting room built on the first floor and phase three will see further three consulting rooms added to the surgery.

Initial planning permission was given by planners at Harborough District Council last year, but the recent application has been submitted with further details of the work. The practice is believed to have around 25,000 patients on its books who use the service to access health care.

If approved, the scheme will be paid for using section 106 payments. These are contributions made by developers of large housing projects in the area to ensure local services do not become overwhelmed by an increased population.

Planning documents add: “The new proposals for extension and refurbishment work at Market Harborough Medical Centre will provide a sustainable and much improved primary care facility that will benefit the local community meeting the demand for patient services resulting from the housing developments in Market Harborough and surrounding areas. The new consulting rooms and pharmacy will provide a strong benefit to the local healthcare of the community providing safe, accessible areas for patient’s medical requirements.”

Market Harborough residents are able to give their feedback on the proposal on the district council website. People have until Friday June 16 to offer their views.