PLANS to expand a busy medical centre have been welcomed.

Burnley Wood Medical Centre has submitted proposals to the borough council to create five extra GP rooms.

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The Parliament Street site has three GP rooms, a treatment room, a consultation a nurse room, a computer room, a reception and a large waiting room.

The plans involve knocking through the waiting room and building the extra rooms, with a linking corridor.

The consultation room would also be enlarged.

The car park would lose five spaces and would keep its 8am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday opening hours.

Cllr Danny Fleming, who represents the area, said the proposals would ease waiting times.

He said: “As a patient, I have only ever had positive experiences there.

“I hope that the successful model can be maintained, if planning permission is granted.

“More GPs working in Burnley Wood, along with possible additional patients, is great news for the small independent local shops and will hopefully provide them with an economic boost.”

It is currently unclear how many extra jobs the extension would bring.

The plans come as almost a third of GP practices in East Lancashire were unable to fill job vacancies in the last 12 months.

Figures from the British Medical Association showed only 10 per cent of GPs in the North West had a manageable workload and were able to provide quality and safe care to patients.

Cllr Fleming said: “Any expansion of successful GP surgeries is great news for patients across the town and would hopefully contribute towards reducing average GP appointment waiting times in the town.

“People can be found waiting a long time to see their GP and this is a national problem as well as a local problem.

“If other centres were able to expand, it would be very beneficial to everyone by relieving stress on those who already work there.

“GPs work very hard on a regular basis.”

The applicant was unavailable to comment.

Councillors are set to discuss the application later in the year.

People are welcome to submit their views on the proposals to the council by e-mailing planning@burnley.gov.uk.