PLANS for a new health centre in Coleford have been given the go-ahead.

Coleford Family Doctors and the Brunston and Lydbrook Practice have been granted permission by the Forest Council to develop the new site at The Gorse.

The new primary care centre will replace the Brunston and Coleford surgeries in the town and the Lydbrook practices which are inadequate in their current form.

An application for planning permission was refused by the Forest Council in April because of concerns about the effect of the building on nearby bat roosts.

The new building will have an area of 14,208 square feet and will include an integrated pharmacy and space for third party use including offices for district nurses.

Ward councillor Clive Elsmore (Ind, Coleford) told the planning committee on July 12 that the health centre’s location outside the town centre was the only problem that remained.

He said: “The only problem we have is getting people to and from the site. We have noticed in Coleford that we’ve lost a bank, and the number of people coming into the town has been reduced considerably.

“Traders are worrying about what’s happening. If we put the doctors’ surgery up on the top then perhaps they won’t come in as well. But that’s one of the things we have to take into account if we want an up to date surgery.”

Cllr Brian Lewis (Con, Hartpury and Redmarley) proposed approval and he was seconded by Cllr Julia Gooch (Progressive Independents, Newent and Taynton).

Cllr Lewis said he was pleased with the council’s previous decision to defer the plans.

He said: “I, for one, am delighted that this has come back in the form it has to the committee. We’ve done well on this one. It’s generally a very popular item to approve and I will certainly be strongly supporting this application.”

Cllr Gooch said it was wrong that the new surgery was delayed by concerns about bats.

She said: “I can’t believe that after two years of being affected by a pandemic and the NHS being overwhelmed that bats were being put before people,” Cllr Gooch said.

The committee voted unanimously to approve the proposals.