Teignmouth's controversial new health and wellbeing centre has been given a unanimous thumbs-up from planners. 

Members of the Teignbridge planning committee gave the new centre the go-ahead after a lengthy debate at their meeting on Tuesday (13 June).

The town's community hospital in Mill Lane is due to close, with its services moving to Dawlish Hospital and the new health centre.

The new £11 million facility in Brunswick Street will bring GP services, healthcare and voluntary sector services under one roof, but the application has been controversial in Teignmouth, with local protesters mounting a furious campaign against the existing hospital's closure.

CGI mock-up of the design from Brunswick Street, Teignmouth (Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust)

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust claims the community's needs will be better served by the new complex.

But objector Gerald Penny told the meeting: "I have been totally opposed to this development since it was first mooted. This was an afterthought when there were such vociferous objections to the closure of Teignmouth Hospital."

Mr Penny said there would not be enough parking and not enough access to public transport. "If it weren't so serious I think this would be a joke," he said.

The trust, however, says the building will provide an effective hub for around 150 people to deliver GP and community services. It will safeguard access to primary care.

The council already owns the land, where existing buildings will be demolished to make way for the new centre. The planned three-storey centre will include consulting rooms, treatment areas, offices and a 'pandemic suite'.

A report to the planning meeting said the new centre would bring 'significant benefits' for the town, although objectors say the proposed building is too big and that valuable town centre parking spaces will be lost.

Cllr Peter Williams (Lib Dem, Teignmouth East) said: "Every option has been looked at for the type of unit that was needed and where it was best placed. We looked at many possibilities and where we are now, I feel, is the best option."