PLANS have been unveiled for a new doctors' surgery in Danby.

A site has been earmarked at Briar Hill on land given by Lord Downe and a planning application has been submitted to the national park authority.

The surgery, run by Dr Ruth Pearce and Dr Mark van Dam, serves the upper end of the Esk Valley, stretching to Moorsholm, and works in conjunction with Egton surgery.

The plan is to build a bigger facility that will offer more satellite services, such as clinics and post-hospital care, which will mean fewer people having to travel to Whitby or Middlesbrough for treatment.

The existing surgery has one waiting area and two doctor's rooms, one of which is very small.

The new building will have three larger examination rooms and separate treatment rooms for specific services. It will also provide parking for 20 cars, whereas the present surgery has no parking facilities.

Members of the Danby Group Parish Council discussed the plans on Wednesday and were unanimously in favour of the proposals.

Reservations were raised about access and the car park not being level, but it was felt that these issues would be addressed by highways and the national park when the application was considered next month.

Members of the public had been expressly invited to give their comments at the parish council meeting, but none turned up. And only one letter had been received expressing concern about access from Briar Hill.

Pam Reeves, the parish council clerk, said yesterday: "The surgery is held in extremely high regard in the area. People always comment on how lucky we are to have these medical services and it would appear that most people are in favour of the new site."