CAMPAIGNERS concerned about the impact of a planned conversion of a former cottage hospital in Pershore into flats are staging a protest against the plans.

Last month the Journal reported people in the town were concerned plans to redevelop the site in Defford Road into 24 sheltered living apartments would mean staff and patients at the adjacent Abbottswood Medical Centre would no longer be able to use the parking spaces they had been able to use for more than a decade.

Although the surgery has also lodged an application to build four new consulting rooms and some new parking spaces, some are angry it is being forced to fork out while the NHS profits from the sale of the site.

With both applications due to be decided at a meeting of Wychavon District Council’s planning committee on Thursday, October 15, campaigners have arranged a protest at the hospital, starting at 10.30am on Saturday, October 10 and are appealing for anyone concerned about the plans to attend.

In a letter to the Journal Cllr Charles Tucker, who represents the town on both Wychavon District and Pershore Town Councils, called the plans to convert the building as “a sad indictment of mismanagement by the property arm of NHS”.

“In their desperation to make money from the old cottage hospital site they seem hell-bent on alienating everyone,” he said.

“They have alienated the doctors in the Abbotswood Medical Centre by making it very difficult for the centre to enlarge to cope with increasing demand and provide essential car parking.

“They have alienated townsfolk by refusing to retain even the frontage of the old hospital, built by public subscription in the 1890s.

“They have alienated local residents by failing to ensure proper car parking provision at Abbotswood or enable access from Defford Road.”

Cllr Tucker added future developments in the town meant the surgery could find itself with 1,000 more patients within the next ten years and a lack of parking would have serious impact on roads in the area.

“It really is unfair that local residents should be forced to deal with the congestion and dangers caused by this lack of proper planning,” he said.

Saying “it’s not too late to change plans”, he called on the council to reject the proposals.

To view the planning applications visit www.wychavon.gov.uk and search for application 15/01638 for the new flats or 15/01655 for the Abbottswood redevelopment.

The agenda for the planning meeting at Pershore Civic Centre at Queen Elizabeth Drive, which is open to the public, will also be available at the council’s website within about a week of the meeting.