Health bosses are calling on a company hoping to build 350 homes on the outskirts of Herne Bay to cough up more than £250,000 to support stretched GP surgeries.

AE Estate Developers launched the first stages of its bid to build the properties on an 18-hectare plot in Hillborough in September.

But in a letter sent to the city council, Canterbury and Coastal Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) estimates the scheme could lead to an influx of 819 new patients.

As a result, the group is asking the developers to pay £266,175 for improvements Herne Bay Primary Care Network (PCN), which consists of Park Surgery and Heron Medical Practice.

Charlotte Fairfax, writing on behalf of the CCG, says: “There is currently limited capacity within existing general practice premises to accommodate growth in this area.

“The need from this development, along with other new developments, will therefore need to be met through the creation of additional capacity in general practice premises.”

Ms Fairfax also expects those moving into the new homes to be “more likely to have multiple or complex health needs”.

She says the funds could be used to either build a new surgery or extend one of the current sites.

“The PCN will require expansion to provide space to service the health needs of the additional patients,” Ms Fairfax explained.

“The current estate is at capacity and the PCN will need to develop plans to extend a current site or build a new location if further expansion is not possible.”

Speaking on behalf of AE, planning agent Ben Young would not comment on the amount of money the CCG is demanding.

He expects a planning application for the site to be submitted to the local authority in the first half of the year.

'There is currently limited capacity within existing general practice premises to accommodate growth in this area' - Charlotte Fairfax, writing on behalf of the CCG

“It’s difficult to put a timeframe on it,” he said.

“I’d suggest it would slip into late winter or early spring – so it’s not imminent. We’d anticipate the planning application to take about six to eight months – maybe longer – and I don’t anticipate there’d be any development on the site this year.”

The housing estate is one of three planned for the plot, with companies Kitewood Estates and Taylor Wimpey having already submitted applications to build a total of 1,080 homes.

KentOnline reported in June that the CCG had asked Kitewood, which is behind plans to build 180 properties, to pay £136,500 towards an extension at the Beltinge and Reculver Surgery.

In a missive sent to the local authority, it said the work would create a further 200 sq metres of space for up to 12 more rooms, which would allow it to take on 420 new patients.

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