CIVIC chiefs are pressing ahead with plans to rebuild a doctors' surgery in Winchester city centre which is failing to meet NHS building standards.

The relocation of St Clements Surgery to Upper Brook Street car park has been held up by delays to the Silver Hill scheme and its planning permission expired this summer.

Many rooms in the 1970s block, in Tanner Street, were half the size required under modern NHS standards, Kevin Warren, Winchester City Council's head of estates, told councillors on Thursday.

He said: "The difficulty that is now facing the doctors is that Silver Hill is not proceeding and they have not been able to invest in the site, or not invest in the site, and quite clearly from their point of view the sooner that this plan is resolved the better."

Cabinet agreed to hire an architect which could submit a fresh planning application.

Hampshire Chronicle:

A 2012 artist's impression of how the new surgery could look on the corner of Friarsgate and Upper Brook Street

It is unclear whether the scheme will now be independent of Silver Hill. The meeting moved into exempt session, excluding the press and public, after Cllr James Byrnes raised the matter.

Cllr Stephen Godfrey, leader of Winchester City Council, said in July: "The GPs have been fully consulted on design and are extremely excited by the prospect of new premises for their patients. The city council intends to procure and deliver the new surgery itself and this requires a detailed business case to be presented but the Head of Estates expects that such a case can be made, if needs be taking into account the benefits of new primary health care facilities to the well being of the community.

"The procurement and construction of the new surgery is on the critical path for delivery of the overall development and the developer is well aware of the requirements for healthcare provision to be provided without disruption or delay.

"On the other hand, if Silver Hill does not go ahead, the council may have to make difficult decisions regarding the acquisition of property and the payment of relocation costs at public expense and on the basis of an alternative business case.”