New £600k surgery to serve 4,000 patients

Services at The Red Lion Surgery, in Hednesford Road, Cannock, were moved to Cannock Hospital two weeks ago after South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust judged the building inadequate. But, under the new proposal, the surgery, which was a former pub, will be knocked down to make way for with a new two-storey practice.

John Mason, who is acting as agent for the surgery, described the plans as exciting and said it would provide a 21st century medical facility for the town centre.

He said: "The new building will provide the practice with larger rooms more suitable for medical use plus an extended car park with 13 spaces - there are currently nine at a push.

"The old building doesn't lend itself to use as a surgery, with no disability access to consulting rooms upstairs.

"This will mean patients will get a modern facility as good as anything in the region."

If the planning application is approved by Cannock Chase District Council, work to demolish the site could begin by the end of the year, with construction beginning in February.

Bosses aim to be opening the new surgery in autumn next year.

In a statement submitted by Mr Mason in support of the application, he said the current building had been assessed as inadequate, but it was not deemed economical to simply upgrade it.

After the primary care trust refused to renew the premises licence, the practice had to move into the Davy unit at Cannock Hospital, but only for a set time of 18 months. The site is surrounded on three sides by residential developments, on the fourth side a piece of derelict land is expected to be developed into housing.