WORK is to start early next year on a £2.75m health centre and library complex.

The building, which will include a health centre, GP surgery, pharmacy and library, is to be built in Pelton, near Chester-le-Street on the site of the village’s former infant and junior school.

The Lavender Centre has now been granted planning permission by Durham County Council and work is now scheduled to start in January.

The two-storey building on Ouston Lane is expected to open its doors to its 9,000 patients by April 2011.

As well as bringing together two local doctors’ surgeries in the same site, the centre will boast a wide range of services including health visitors, midwifery services, district nursing, physiotherapy, counselling, phlebotomy, podiatry and chronic disease management.

Specialist treatment and nursing rooms will provide additional services to those currently offered in the area, allowing GPs to reintroduce services such as counselling appointments and carers’ groups.

The centre is being developed as a partnership between Pelton Surgery, NHS County Durham, Durham County Council and developer, Prime, with architects Howard Litchfield Partnership.

The site will house two GP surgeries both supported by an on-site pharmacy. Dr Tyson and partners will be based in Pelton Surgery, which is relocating from its existing site in Front Street, while Dr Gollings and partners will be based at Pelton Health Centre.

Dr Anita Turner, GP at Pelton Surgery, said: "Demand for healthcare services in the area is increasing and the development of the new premises will allow us to meet this demand with the provision of flexible and modern facilities.

"We chose the location on Ouston Lane as it will allow us to bring together more healthcare staff in a central location. The additional space at the new site is great news and will enable us to provide a range of first-rate services to patients."

Durham County Councillor, Jim Cordon said: "The new surgery, health centre and library will be a tremendous boost for the local community.

"The library in particular will be dramatically improved as part of its relocation and will provide a raft of enhanced facilities, such as a community room and free Internet access, as well as sustaining its ongoing events programme. It is an integral part of the village and its continued close proximity to the local schools is an added advantage.

The new development will have 69 parking spaces and landscaped outdoor area, and will use various forms of sustainable technology and renewable energy, such as rainwater harvesting and ground source heat pump systems.