Two GP surgeries in Beaconsfield will be moved into a new state-of-the-art medical centre after plans were given the go-ahead – and it could be open by December.

The new two-storey medical centre and a pharmacy will be built along the A40 – at the junction with Walkwood Rise – and will see the Simpson Centre and Millbarn Medical Centre move in because they have both “outgrown” their current premises, even though they serve a combined 25,300 patients.

The plans for the new centre were given the green light by South Bucks district councillors this month.

According to planning documents, the new centre – which has been at least four years in the making - aims to be open to patients by December 2020.

It will have 23 consulting rooms, five treatment rooms, a waiting room and reception and staff admin offices.

A total of 14 trees need to be removed – and work has already started on the build this month – but a hedge will be planted around the boundary as well as other planting.

Cars will be able to park on site through a new entrance on Walkwood Rise.

Although councillors have said the new medical centre can be built, nearby residents were not happy with the idea.

Objections to the plans were received by 125 different households, with concerns ranging from it being a “dangerous” junction, the loss of trees and open space and poorly designed to fears over an increase in crime and traffic.

Others said the new medical centre should have been built at nearby Wilton Park, which is being redeveloped by Inland Homes – and although this was initially discussed, the plans did not progress.

According to the planning documents, 10 sites were considered, but six of those were in the Green Belt and four were not big enough.

NHS England has supported the plans, as has the Buckinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), who said: “The Simpson Centre and the Millbarn Medical Centre are the only two NHS GP practices in Beaconsfield. This project will enable them to co-locate and work together at greater scale and in a more efficient and economic manner.

“The existing practice premises have a number of significant disadvantages in that they are too small and are not capable of being extended to accommodate the future growth.

“The premises are also too inflexible to enable more modern health care services. The proposed new building's accommodation and facilities will allow greater access to primary care. "