WORK is expected to start in spring on the long-awaited expansion to Launceston Medical Centre.

Andrew Yardley, the centre’s practice manager, confirmed last week that NHS England had given approval for the work to go ahead.

He was updating the Patient Participation Group (PPG) build sub-group and said: “We have just received the news and are moving forward with the next steps. We expect work to start on site in the spring and it is anticipated that the construction will take about 14 months.”

The centre first submitted a detailed business case to the NHS for an expansion to the surgery premises back in July 2013 and there followed years of frustration for staff and patients at the medical centre as NHS rules and guidelines changed meaning that the medical centre had to rework and re-submit its plans and bids many times.

The proposed two-storey extension will be built to the rear of the current building on a plot of land which the centre has purchased between it and Launceston Hospital. The new work will also involve some alterations to the existing building.

When complete it will provide ten more consulting rooms (including training facilities for GP registrars), a bigger waiting room, a new entrance to the dispensary and a staff training/meeting room.

There will be a new parking area alongside the new wing and the approach to the medical centre will become one-way with the exit road using the hospital approach road.

PPG chair Joan Heaton said: “We welcome this positive news. It will be an important and busy year for the medical centre and we are committed to providing all the support and help we can.”