A Whitehill & Bordon surgery has room for expansion as plans for a new pharmacy have been approved.

Plans to build a single-storey pharmacy next to Forest Medical Surgery have been approved by East Hampshire District Council.

The proposals involve moving the Chase Pharmacy based within the practice into a new building on part of the car park north west of the surgery

The move will free up more space within the practice for much-needed additional administration and office space.

The move has raised eyebrows given plans to move services from the surgery and adjacent Chase Hospital to the much-vaunted Health Hub in the town centre.

The NHS says the hub will “combine primary care – provided by Badgerswood and Forest GP surgery – and community health services currently delivered from the Chase onto a single site.

Some have suggested the FMS plans are a failsafe if the hub scheme doesn’t become a reality. Indeed, one objector believes the move ‘makes no sense’ while others have complained about the loss of parking.

Planners approved the application as they believe it would result in the “improvement to an existing surgery”.

Meanwhile, figures from the NHS Integrated Care Board have confirmed they will give an update on the Health Hub plans to a Hampshire County Council committee next Tuesday (November 26).

The Health & Adult Social Care Committee meeting in Winchester is open to the public with Cllr Andy Tree asking residents with comments or questions about the move to email him at [email protected]