A ONE-STOP shop medical facility is likely to be welcomed by councillors this week.

Proposals to build the centre in Victoria Lane, Coundon, have already been praised by people living in the community.

The two-storey building will house Sure Start child care, an information technology suite, and rooms for training, dentistry, chiropody and counselling, as well as the usual services expected from a health centre.

It will also have a children's play area at the rear of the building and additional car parking.

Councillor Neil Stonehouse, vice-chairman of the Dales Primary Care Trust and deputy leader of Wear Valley District Council, said he was delighted that the project looked likely to go ahead.

He said: "From my point of view I am delighted because about four years ago it looked like they were going to shut because of trouble with violence, and South-West Durham Trust were going to withdraw their staff.

"But we managed to persuade the doctors and people to come on board and now we are moving it forward."

After demolition of the single-storey medical centre which stands on the proposed site of the project, it is hoped the new facility could be completed and operating by January or February.

Money for the project has come from a combination of Private Funding Initiative investment, Neighbourhood Renewal, the Sure Start scheme and the primary care trust.

The plans will be discussed at a meeting of Wear Valley District Council's development control committee, at the Civic Centre, Crook, tomorrow night, at 6pm. Council planning officials have recommended approval.

Only two nearby residents have expressed concerns, saying that gatherings of youths and anti-social behaviour had been a problem since the existing medical centre was built.

It is hoped that security fencing around the car park and children's play area will help to resolve that problem.

Coun Stonehouse, who lives in Coundon, said: "This is going to be a tremendous asset for the village. This is a prime example of working together as a partnership.

"The health service, local authority, the police, Sure Start, everybody is coming together to offer these services to the village.''