A GP surgery in Nailsea has been given planning permission to build homes on the site as part of its expansion plans.

Tyntesfield Medical Group wants to close Brockway Medical Centre and sell the site for housing, to enable it to build a bigger surgery in a different location.

The group applied to North Somerset Council for planning permission to build homes at the site, in Brockway, and the proposal has been approved.

More: Nailsea GP surgery could be sold for housing to fund new medical centre.

In a letter to patients, executive manager Lawrie Lewis said: "I last wrote an open letter to you in August 2019 advising you that we were considering the future of how we provide healthcare in Nailsea and that we were exploring whether Brockway, if it had planning permission for homes thereon, sufficiently increases the value and attractiveness of the site to developers to make the development of another health facility in the town financially viable for us.

"As advised, we submitted a planning application for Brockway to North Somerset Council.

"That planning application has now been approved which gives us confidence we could achieve sufficient value for the site which makes its sale and the development of another facility viable."

Tyntesfield Medical Group is exploring the viability of occupying another site in the town which would enable it to develop its facilities to serve Nailsea's growing population.

The medical group expects to have more news on the proposals in the next couple of weeks, including plans to put Brockway up for sale.

Mr Lewis added: "At that time we will open a formal engagement process with patients to ensure you are well informed of our intentions, allowing your voice to be heard in any transitional planning.

"This is a really exciting development for Tyntesfield Medical Group.

"Supported by NHS England, it is a rare opportunity to develop facilities for the benefit of the town and wider community.

"As soon as we are in a position to say more we will make a further announcement and formally commence running open events to listen to and consider patients views."

Tyntesfield Medical Group also runs the medical centres in Backwell and Long Ashton.