Plans approved to extend Market Harborough Medical Centre in a bid to deal with rising patient numbers

A three phase plan to extend the Market Harborough Medical Centre has been approved in a bid to deal with rising patient numbers.

The surgery in Coventry Road is believed to have around 25,000 patients on its books and the management are hoping to meet local demand by expanding.

Officials at Harborough District Council approved the plan last week and have said building must begin before August 2025. Applicant Dr R Tosar has been permitted to build both a two storey and single storey front extension to the existing building and a part single, part two storey extension at the back.

This will provide new consulting rooms, treatment rooms, a new pharmacy and a supporting admin space for the practice. Planning documents say the work will be conducted in three different phases.

Phase one will see the new treatment rooms built on the ground floor, as well as four consultation rooms and the new pharmacy. The second phase will see a new office space and large meeting room built on the first floor and the third will see three more consulting rooms added to practice.

The scheme is set to be funded through section 106 payments, planning documents say. These are contributions made by developers of large projects in the area to ensure local services do not become overwhelmed by an increased population. Planners at the council have said the development will not be allowed to go ahead until the plan’s parking and turning facilities have been implemented. This is to ensure on-street parking problems do not arise because of the development and to ensure enough off-street parking is provided.

Planning documents add: “The new proposals for extension and refurbishment work at Market Harborough Medical Centre will provide a sustainable and much improved primary care facility that will benefit the local community, meeting the demand for patient services resulting from the housing developments in Market Harborough and surrounding areas. The new consulting rooms and pharmacy will provide a strong benefit to the local healthcare of the community providing safe, accessible areas for patient’s medical requirements.”