PLANS to build a new multi-million pound health centre in Lye have been given the thumbs-up.

The development of the new Lye Health and Social Care Centre can now finally press ahead after members of Dudley’s development control committee gave the project a clean bill of health at last night’s meeting (Monday).

Set to be built on vacant land between Jackson Street and Clinic Drive, the new state-of-the-art three-storey medical centre will become a hub for a range of health and social care services in the area.

The Limes and Pedmore Road GP practices are expected to move to the new facility, which will also accommodate a pharmacy, a 25-space car park and 35 full-time staff members.

Lye councillor Mohammed Hanif said: “It’s a good thing for Lye - there’s a need for it. It will really bring lots of different services into one place, that’s very important - and it will really regenerate the area.

“I’m quite pleased Lye is getting something like this.”

The new high-tech health centre will be similar to the £8m Stourbridge Health and Social Care Centre, which opened in 2007, and the £26m Brierley Hill Health and Social Care Centre which opened in 2010.

Patients currently registered at the Limes and Pedmore Road GP practices will be able to change to a new practice or move to the new centre which will be open from 7am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 10am on Saturdays.