Work by a major housing developer to build a new doctor’s surgery for homeowners has hit a snag: it can’t find a GP.

Taylor Wimpey expects to complete its new Hawley Drive health centre in Leybourne Chase in late summer - as part of its planning obligations on the new site.

But despite contacting more than 60 nearby practices the house builder has only received one tentative inquiry about taking on the tenancy.

The news comes at a time when the future of the family doctor in the NHS is in question, with growing pressure on surgeries and a steady increase in vacancies.

At the moment people in Leybourne have to travel to other surgeries, including the West Malling Group Practice, which has three surgeries in High Street, West Malling, Kings Hill and Oxley Shaw Lane, Leybourne.

It has 19,329 people on its books and 11 GPs. That’s 1,756 patients per GP.

At Aylesford Medical Centre within the Royal British Legion Village there are 2,244 patients per GP and 6,734 people on the books.

Thornhills Medical Practice at Larkfield Health Centre have 1,633 people to each GP and 14,694 patients.

The next nearest is Snodland Medical Practice in Catts Alley. This has 2,402 patients per GP and 12,010 on the books.

Pressure on doctors is only likely to increase in line with population growth, in Tonbridge and Malling – predicted to rise from 124,400 in 2014, to 135,000 by 2031.

The numbers of elderly people are expected to increase by a third to 32,000 in 2031.

Approval from NHS England is needed to build new surgeries. Alternatively developers can ask local GPs if they would be interested in taking the surgery on as a branch of their existing practices.

Dr Julian Spinks, chairman of the Kent Local Medical Committee, said many doctors would be reluctant to take on any further work.

He said: “There is a growing national shortage of GPs wishing to enter traditional partnerships and a rising rate of vacancies in Kent. This is being worsened by a reduction in numbers of young doctors training and a rise in doctors leaving, or retiring.

“Unless there is a reversal of the decline in investment in general practice when compared to hospitals, the situation will only get worse and the problems experienced by the developer may become commonplace.”

A Taylor Wimpey spokesman said the health centre has been marketed to NHS and private providers and the company expects interest to increase as it comes nearer to completion.

NHS West Clinical Commissioning Group said: “We have not been approached about this development so do not have a view on whether a branch surgery is necessary or appropriate in this location.

“We would invite the developers to talk to us as a first step.”

Leybourne Chase is being built on the site of the former Leybourne Grange Psychiatric Hospital which closed in 1996. Planning permission for more than 700 homes was granted in 2004, with a community hall, shops and a primary school.