THE development of a multi-million pound medical centre to replace two of Stourport's doctors' surgeries has taken an important step forward.

Wyre Forest District Council has sold its land at Dunley Road for £300,000 to allow the development of a new state-of-the-art facility to get under way.

Stourport Health Centre and York House Medical Centre will be merged to form the new practice, which is expected to be up and running by spring 2021.

The centre will care for 21,500 patients and feature 76 car parking spaces, electric car charging points and an on-site pharmacy.

The council agreed the sale of the land in July last year and a planning application for the new medical centre was approved by the Planning Committee in December.

Councillor Fran Oborski, Wyre Forest's cabinet member for economic regeneration, planning and capital investments, said: “I am delighted that the sale of the land has been completed and that Stourport will now be able to benefit from modern facilities for GPs and primary care, as Bewdley and Kidderminster have already done.

"We have achieved market value for the land and will be able to use the receipt to invest in other worthwhile capital projects in the district.”

The money from the sale will go towards the council's Evergreen Investment Fund, which provides funding for future investment.