CONTROVERSIAL plans for a new GP surgery and 27 new homes on the outskirts of Tetbury have been given the go-ahead.

Stonewood Homes Ltd has been granted permission by Cotswold District Council to build the new healthcare facility and housing estate on land west of Worwell Farmhouse in Cirencester Road.

Officers referred the proposals for the just over five acre site to be considered by the planning committee on November 8 due to its complexity.

Both Tetbury Town Council and Tetbury Upton Parish Council wrote in support of the scheme but the latter raised concerns over the number of parking spaces not being adequate for staff and patients.

And more than 200 people wrote letters of support for the scheme many of them saying there is an urgent need for a new medical centre as the current one is not fit for purpose.

However more than 70 residents objected to the scheme citing concerns over the loss of a picturesque greenfield site, its location outside the town’s development boundary and that there were better sites in Tetbury and that the design of the building was not of high quality.

Council officers had recommended rejecting the scheme but Cllr Dilys Neill (LD, Stow), a former GP, proposed approving the scheme and this was seconded by Cllr David Fowles (C, Coln Valley).

He said many people were in favour of the proposals and many against.

He explained that on balance the last time a similar application was brought forward for the site the committee rejected it.

“At the end of the day let’s hope that at the people of Tetbury will have a medical centre we can all be proud of,” Cllr Fowles said.

The committee voted to approve the scheme by seven votes in favour to three against with one abstention.