THE move of a Winchester GP surgery to a proposed state-of-the-art building is in doubt, according to civic chiefs.

St Clements surgery, currently in Tanner Street, has been negotiating with the city council to relocate to the corner of Upper Brook Street and Friarsgate by May 2019.

But council documents concerning a planning application for the current building has revealed a rift between the two parties.

In a report to the planning committee, the council’s head of estates Kevin Warren said: “Despite discussions between the council and the doctors over a number of years, it is now looking unlikely that an agreement will be reached.”

The GP practice has around 16,000 patients.

The rift comes as the planning committee refused to allow office use at the Tanner Street practice.

The decision has been branded as “misguided” by city councillor Kim Gottlieb, who owns the building and plans to appeal the decision.

As previously reported, a bid had been launched to see the building in Tanner Street change to business uses that covers offices, research and development or light industrial.

The planning committee last week heard fears from planning officers – who recommended the bid be refused – that if the go-ahead was given it “would result in the loss of a local facility.”

However Cllr Gottlieb, who is director of applicant firm Lochstill Ltd, told the Chronicle before the meeting: “The purpose of the application... is simply so that the building can be put to good use if the practice ever decides to leave. Our commitment not to implement an approval until the practice has made that decision and moved is enshrined in a legal agreement we have offered, but the planners have rejected.

“As things stand, there is no proposal to develop the broader site and, unlike the council, I can’t afford for the building to be sat vacant for years doing nothing. I am not party to the discussions between the practice and the council, but I understand that the terms offered on the proposed new surgery on the Upper Brook Street car park are still not sufficiently attractive to persuade the Practice to relocate. I have offered them a new long lease should they decide to stay put.

“I’m sure you will also recall Cllr [Stephen] Godfrey’s assurance given in November 2015 that the new surgery would be completed in August 2017.”

READ: Plans for new St Clements surgery in Winchester approved >>>

Cllr Brian Laming, who voted in favour of the change, questioned the officers’ recommendation for refusal. He said: “The landlord (Cllr Gottlieb) has said he is quite happy for the doctors to stay put until the new surgery is built. I can’t see the problem.”

Following the decision to reject the proposal by four votes to two, Cllr Gottlieb said: “The council’s reason for refusal that the proposal ‘would result in the loss of a local facility’ is misguided and will be challenged at appeal."

Cllr Gottlieb added: “We offered to enter into a legal agreement whereby the consent would only be implemented if the practice chose to relocate. If they do relocate, the building needs to be put to good use whilst plans for the larger development come forward.

“The practice’s requirements are paramount in my thinking and have been all along, whilst campaigning to ensure that it wasn’t prematurely evicted by Henderson, as a result of the council’s failure to deliver the new surgery as promised.”

However, council leader Caroline Horrill hit back, saying: “The council’s long-standing ambition for a replacement surgery in the heart of the city remains the same.

“Currently, the council is awaiting a decision by the doctors at St Clements Practice. The outcome of this will determine further work on plans for any new surgery development on Upper Brook Street.

“Any implication that the council’s terms and conditions of a proposed surgery are the reason for any delay is misleading.”

St Clements was asked to comment but had not responded at the time of going to press.