A row has broken out in North Weald over controversial plans for a new medical centre.

Councillors from the district's area planning committee are due to inspect the site of the old Nuclear Printing and Publishing building, off North Weald's High Road, today (Thursday).

Their visit follows last month's area planning meeting, at which a decision over the plans was deferred after objections from local residents and North Weald Parish Council.

If given the go-ahead, it is proposed that the two-storey medical centre would provide facilities for up to four doctors, plus nurses, administration staff and an in-house pharmacy.

Doctors and staff at the Limes Medical Centre in Epping were said to have been extremely disappointed that a decision over the application by Linc Property Holdings Ltd - which council planning officers recommended for approval - had been held up.

Commenting on the situation, Dr Andrew Ashford claimed the existing premises of North Weald's medical centre - which occupies the ground floor of a housing association building in Wheelers Farm Gardens - were "wholly inadequate and unsafe".

He was backed by Debbie Thornton, executive director of the Limes Medical Centre, who said: "The parish council is objecting that the building is larger than a village surgery. But North Weald is not a traditional village any longer. It's a large place with further planned development.

"We have no other sites and would not have the resources to go through this process again, should we ultimately be unsuccessful in this application."

She added: "If the plans are not approved there is a chance we will lose the plot of land."

But the parish council has defended its role in the affair, pointing out that it welcomes the prospect of a new medical centre for North Weald.

Claiming that the council had registered its objections on behalf of residents, parish chairman, Peter Collins, said: "In the interest of the community we had to object so that comments could be aired and those concerns be addressed."

The parish council's objections had centred on the size of the proposed building and the lack of on-site car parking for patients attending the centre.

But there were also concerns over the access to the site, and that the building's design would be out of keeping with the surrounding area.

A final ruling on the plans is expected when the area planning committee meets at Epping's civic offices at 7.30pm next Wednesday November 15.

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