A GP surgery will be able to take on an extra 7,000 patients after plans for a new health centre were approved.

Pelham Medical Practice will move into a new three-storey building which has been given the green light along with more than 50 homes on the former St Joseph’s Convent Preparatory School site in Old Road East, Gravesend.

The application had 113 objections from people living nearby.

And last week, at Gravesham council’s planning committee, councillors heard from people living nearby who raised concerns over privacy and parking.

Addressing the meeting, Michael Barrett, who lives two doors from the main building and has the back of his housing facing the development said he would lose all privacy from patients walking by.

He said: “One of the fundamental rights we hold as residents is the right to privacy in our own homes. Homes are sanctuaries where we should feel safe, comfortable and free from undue intrusion.

“The proposed development, in particular the medical centre, threatens to undermine this basic right by placing a public structure, which is out of place, too large, and too close to existing residential properties – particularly ours and our direct neighbours.”

Mr Barrett said hundreds of members of the public would be able to see into his living room, dining room and kitchen if the plans were given the green light.

Dawn Neil, who lives in Coombe Road, which had been mentioned as an access point for pedestrians, said: “My objection relates to the new access from the end of Coombe Road into the new development.

“Coombe Road is already a difficult road to both park and drive on – it’s narrow with cars parked on each side for most of the day and especially at night time.

“From the plans I have seen there will not be enough parking spaces for both the new residential properties and the medical centre, therefore it makes it likely the developments residents will try to park on my road and make it even more difficult.”

A third objector said many residents were against the application and although they thought the development was “inevitable”, they think having 54 new homes and a medical centre is “far too high a density on three acres of land and completely disregards its surroundings”.

Despite residents concerns, the project was approved after a motion to reject the plans, suggested by Cllr. Jordan Meade, was rejected – four councillors were in favour of rejecting it, while five voted for it.

It means the former school will be turned into six flats, while a block of seven apartments and the homes will be built on the wider site.

Planning documents revealed a variety of two and three-bed terraced houses, three-bedroom detached houses plus one and two-bed flats each with an open plan kitchen, dining and living room “for modern living”.

While the doctor's surgery, which will become the new home of Pelham Medical Practice, would have two waiting rooms, one interview room, 14 consulting rooms and six treatment rooms.

Around 100 parking spaces have also been included for the entire scheme, as well as a park, landscaping, a new access for vehicles onto Old Road East and a pedestrian connection onto the site from Coombe Road.

The meeting also heard from supporters of the development, including Pelham Medical Practice manager Jason Bowler who said a new surgery was needed to help the growing population.

He said: “As a practice we’ve been working for more than 10 years to find a site for a new surgery.

“In that time we’ve investigated numerous sites in Gravesham without success.

“When proposed, we were delighted and relieved as a search for the site was driven by the knowledge that staying in our premises is not a viable option.

“This is a fantastic opportunity as it will provide Gravesham with a modern, fit for purpose and a flexible GP surgery to deliver long-term and high quality services to our patients and growing population.”

Mr Bowler added: “The development will replace two non-compliant and fully utilisied GP surgeries through the provision of a new purpose, easily-accessible, future-proofed energy efficient surgery.

“This proposed new GP surgery is a very significant public benefit and is crucial so we can continue to meet the growing health needs of our patients while being able to safely accommodate Gravesham’s growing population.”

A spokesman for DHA planning consultants, on behalf of Galliards, said the project will make “beneficial use of a redundant brownfield site” which has been empty since 2021.

He added: “This proposed development provides a solution to deliver a new fit-for-purpose quality GP surgery, increasing patient capacity from 14,000 to 20,000.”

After a motion to reject the plans failed, Cllr Peter Scollard (Lab) took aim at Cllr Jordan Meade (Con) for calling in the motion before everyone had a chance to share their opinions.

He fumed: “First off I’d like to say that it’s a bit sad we didn’t get a chance to speak on the actual development because of yourselves and explain to the residents why we’ve had to vote against it.

“I think that’s right out of order and I think you should give the whole floor a chance to speak before you put a motion and second in first. I think that’s bang out of order.”

He accused the Tory opposition leader of “putting on a show” for residents at the meeting, but Cllr Meade hit back saying: “I think that is quite disgraceful.

“I’ve come here tonight as a member of the committee to stand up for local residents and I stand by everything I’ve just said on this committee.

“Members wanted to debate this, they’ve had adequate time to put your hands up and actually I find it quite shameful that you’ve voted against residents.”

As part of the application, Galliard (Gravesend) Ltd agreed to either pay around £600,000 towards financial contributions instead of providing cheaper housing or pay £150,000 and create seven discount market rent units as part of the development.

Councillors were asked to vote on this, with five voting for the £600,000 financial boost and nobody voting for the discount units.

A decision on the application was due in May, however, a councillor “called in” the mixed-use scheme so it was discussed early.