A VILLAGE surgery's expansion plans have taken a step forward.

Durham City Council has agreed in principle to lease land next to Sherburn Leisure Centre for a new medical centre.

The Sherburn and Belmont Surgery Group Practice aims to move out of its premises in Gray Avenue so it can provide more facilities for patients.

It hopes its new base will offer an on-site pharmacy, counselling rooms, drug services, accommodation for health visitors and district nurses, a medical investigation suite and a patient education centre.

Following the offer of a site, the group can apply for funding to carry out the development.

Planning permission will have to be given by the council's development control committee. The council, whose cabinet approved the land application, believes that siting the surgery next to the leisure centre ties-in with its aims of promoting health and healthy lifestyles.

Carol Woods, cabinet member for finance and councillor for the village, welcomed the expansion plans.

She said: "It will bring a brand new purpose-built surgery with more facilities than the present surgery can offer.

"The site as a whole will become busier and the leisure centre could be visited more as a result.''

The site that originally interested the practice was leisure centre land leased to Sherburn Outdoor Activities for Kids (Oak), which is building a new play park. Instead, the new surgery is likely to be built on an overflow car park.

Sherburn Oak objected to the land application, saying that the development would split the recreation area.

Community services director David Marrs said in a report to councillors that it would be "no worse'' than the present situation.

Councillor Grenville Holland, cabinet member for leisure, said: "This project complements the council's leisure strategy, which promotes the better use of its facilities by all of the community."

A spokesman for the practice said: "We have a great feel for the Sherburn community and this new development would enhance the facilities on offer to it.

"Being next to the leisure centre would bring us firmly into the centre of village life."