THE new health centre at Malvern's Pickersleigh Road depot site should be open to patients by spring 2007.

Demolition work could start in the next 10 days, after Malvern Hills District Council agreed on Tuesday to sell the site to developers Alfred McAlpine for a reduced cost.

McAlpine will now pay £400,000 for the site, instead of the £500,000 originally proposed. The council will also contribute £125,000 towards additional costs.

The proposal sparked intense debate among members at the full council meeting.

Coun Paul Cumming and Coun Susan Gill raised fears that the authority was agreeing to sell the depot site before South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust had made a full commitment to Malvern's new hospital.

Councillors originally agreed to sell the site on condition the PCT committed to the hospital.

Strategic director Kevin Douglas said it was not possible to link the two projects because of the way the sale was structured, as a deal between McAlpine and the district council rather than dealing with the PCT directly.

Urging members to approve the sale, Coun Clive Smith said: "If we get the site sorted out, it will be of great community benefit."

Councillors eventually voted for the sale with 31 in favour and three abstentions.

Malvern Health Centre and Court Road Surgery will move to the new health centre.

A joint statement from both practices said the partners and staff were delighted by the decision.

A sale price reduction for the depot site became necessary when the district valuer refused to approve the financial plan, because he believed it was not good value for the developer and PCT.

He felt McAlpine would be overpaying and was meeting too many abnormal costs, like installing a mini roundabout at the junction of Madresfield Road and Pickersleigh Road.

At Tuesday's meeting Bob Tattrie, from Alfred McAlpine, set out a timetable for the health centre, saying building work should start in March or April 2006.