The NHS has unveiled plans for a new medical centre in north Kent.

The Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) wants to develop an enlarged health hub in Steele Avenue, Greenhithe. It would provide capacity for more than 20,000 patients, the CCG has said.

Subject to planning approval by Dartford council next year, this would replace three existing GP surgeries in the area, which include Greenhithe Surgery, Ivy Bower Surgery and Elmdene Surgery.

This would cater for a growing demand for new health services in Dartford due to more house building and migration from the London boroughs.

A spokesman for the CCG said: "We are supporting Swanscombe and Bean Partnership and Temple Hill Group to develop plans for a new medical centre at Steele Avenue, Greenhithe, as outlined in our GP estates strategy."

They added: “The business case, which is to be developed, will contain further detail."

Stone Parish Council says there is an "urgent need" to serve residents not only in Stone, but also Greenhithe and Swanscombe.

Cllr John Burrell (Con), the former chairman of Stone Parish Council, said: "It's good news. We badly need a new medical centre in Stone and Greenhithe."

Private talks over the NHS-led proposal were held by Kent County Council (KCC), the local health authority, last week in the main council chamber of Sessions House, County Hall, Maidstone.

After the meeting, KCC's policy and resources committee told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that they "support moving forward" with the new development.

Councillors agreed to sell vacant greenfield land on the Steele Avenue site, which has been owned by the authority since 1973, to deliver the medical centre.

However, no confirmation has been made about the name of the purchaser, which is expected to bring or save more than £1million for the council.

County Hall's vacant site comprises 1.29 acres of land, which was formerly used as KCC highways department depot and 30-space car park in 2016.

It is surrounded by the A206 St Clements Way, Greenhithe Station, Asda 24-hour supermarket, along with houses and apartments.

The northern part of the site has been identified as the key component to faciliate the creation of an enlarged medical space in Dartford.

It is hoped the new medical centre can be built by September 2023, with a developer starting work on the site from August 2022.

A Kent and Medway CCG spokesman added: "The proposed new medical centre will replace three existing branch surgeries in Greenhithe and provide capacity to accommodate population growth in the area.

"It is expected the proposed centre could provide capacity for more than 20,000 patients.”

The news comes after councillors called for radical changes to the way the general practice system is run in Kent as patients continue to face long waits for appointments.

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