A ‘desperately needed’ new health centre which will provide more GP appointments and a wider range of services is coming to Bracknell.

Bracknell Forest Councillors approved plans to expand Skimped Hill health centre in the town centre at a planning committee on Thursday, September 12.

Frimley NHS Integrated Care Board submitted plans to build a new centre next door to the existing one, located by Blues Smokehouse in Bracknell Town centre.

The new three-storey building will house a GP surgery, integrated services including primary care, children’s services and a maternity hub. Podiatry, talking therapy, speech and language therapy will also be provided.

The existing building will be mainly used for administrative purposes, but services including dentistry, audiology and a sexual health clinic will remain.

A planning officer at the Bracknell Forest meeting described the current site as ‘outdated’ which ‘restricts the services that can be provided’.

NHS bosses proposed the expansion will mean more patients can be seen, up to 701 appointments per day, from 659.

Staff numbers will increase from 42 to 48 to cope with higher demand.

Members of Bracknell Forest Council’s planning committee welcomed the plans, as Councillor Tina McKenzie-Boyle said: “I think it’s about time that we have something like this in the town centre, so I’m really pleased we’ve got this going.”

Councillor Patrick Smith also said that it was in a ‘convenient location’ for residents, and Councillor Tony Virgo said ‘we desperately need these facilities’.

However, concerns were raised about whether enough parking was being provided at the site. There are currently 72 parking spaces supplied at Skimped Hill, and this will rise to 77 once the new site is complete – a few above the requirement for 75 spaces based on location.

But councillor Smith said: “It does strike me as slightly off that we’re considering the car parking standards only in relation to the new building when clearly, the car park serves both buildings.”

Councillors agreed that given both buildings will be used, it could mean there isn’t enough being provided.

A planning officer then explained: “It’s a town centre site, if people can’t park there then there are other available car parks in very close proximity, public transport, and it’s not an area, it’s felt, that people will leave their cars on the roads outside.”

The committee agreed to ask for more details about parking provision as a condition upon approval.

The plans were voted for unanimously by councillors, but it is not yet known when construction of the new site will begin.