by Rachel Hovenden

rhovenden@thekmgroup.co.uk

MORE than 2,000 people have signed a petition against plans for a new Tesco amid calls for the site to be transformed into a medical centre.

Members of the Labour Party's East Gravesend Branch, whose chairman is Cllr Colin Caller for Westcourt ward, have suggested that the plans for a Tesco in Whinfell Way, Gravesend, should be thrown out.

It would be the fifth Tesco in the Gravesend area.

Instead, in a letter to the Messenger, they suggest a new surgery could be built.

The group's comments come after the nearby Marling Way surgery, Gravesend, closed last month when its owner, Dr Navin Naran Zala, lost an appeal over alleged "abusive, exploitative and sexually motivated" behaviour towards seven female patients.

Dr Zala was removed from the West Kent Primary Care Trust's "performers' list" in 2007, which meant he could no longer work as a GP in Kent and Medway.

He was also suspended by the GMC and a full investigation is awaited.

Dr Zala's appeal against the PCT's decision led to a full tribunal, which he lost in August.

Dissolved

After that Dr Zala, 61, who vigorously denied the allegations, decided to dissolve the Marling Way practice, which was being run by other staff.

Patients have been moved to other surgeries.

In a letter to the Messenger, the East Gravesend Labour branch said that former Marling Way patients had reported it taking longer to get an appointment after being transferred to other GPs.

Some reported difficulties getting there.

Cllr William Lambert (Con) for Riverview ward, said a new surgery at the Riverview Park garage was "a wonderful idea".

He said: "I don't think the Marling Way surgery would be big enough to move to the Riverview Park garage but perhaps if the Whinfell Way surgery moved in there instead and expanded then it could work.

"Many of the patients from the Marling Way surgery have moved to the Whinfell Way one anyway.

"It would make a lot of sense."

Petition

Bala Arun , 50, who runs Bala Supermarket, also known as Costcutter, claims that more than 2,000 people have signed petitions against the proposed Tesco in local shops.

His own petition has more than 750 signatures, and he believes more than 100 letters of objection have been sent to the council.

He said: "I think a medical centre would be a better idea.

"There was a lot of anger because Tesco withdrew one application and then submitted another one.

"We thought the issue had gone away, but then it hadn't."

A decision on the Tesco store plans is expected to be made by October 25.