PLANS for a new medical centre in West Mersea might have to be shelved – wasting four years of work.

Health bosses were planning to build the centre on land off Barfield Road.

But the Royal British Legion has blocked the plans by denying them access to the land, which means a new location will have to be found.

The plan was to provide a new building that would incorporate the GP practice in Kingsland Road and the community services provided at the Barfield Road clinic, including podiatry and mother and baby sessions.

Alan Mogridge, West Mersea town councillor, said he was very disappointed by the decision at the Royal British Legion’s annual meeting.

He said: “Everything seemed to be going swimmingly, but there are one or two members of the committee who are not thinking of the village.

“Sadly they have voted by a small minority against it, as is their right.

“We will now have to look at other places, but it is really disappointing because it has been a long time coming.

“The committee aren’t thinking of the village and the people of West Mersea are the losers.”

Tonia Parsons, local improvement finance trust director for the trust, said the Legion Field site was found to be the only viable option for the new centre and it was supported by the practice’s GPs.

She said: “Without this access road, the Legion Field site is no longer a viable option for the new centre.

“We are now looking at other options, but there is nowhere else suitable locally to build the centre, with all the proposed services we had in mind.

“I’m afraid it is a case of back to the drawing board.

“We are still keen to provide a new health centre in West Mersea, but the Legion Field site has for some time been the only viable site, which could accommodate a combined GP surgery and clinic.”

No-one from the Royal British Legion was available to comment yesterday.