The medical centre’s extension has been approved following major healthcare concerns
16:55, 05 Feb 2026Updated 07:04, 06 Feb 2026
Bosses of the Vernon Street Medical Centre in Derby say an expansion is vital to care for the community(Image: Google Maps)
A GP surgery on the edge of Derby city centre is to expand after a warning that the health of hundreds of people was at “serious” risk.
Bosses of the Vernon Street Medical Centre submitted plans to Derby City Council last year for a two-storey rear extension of the Grade II Listed premises to help boost healthcare.
In planning documents, they warned the surgery, off Friar Gate, “faced the real possibility” of refusing more patients at a time when hundreds more residents are set to move to the area.
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Bosses told the council the surgery had “exceeded operational capacity” and approval of the plans would increase patient numbers.
Planning permission was requested to increase clinical capacity from seven to 15 clinical rooms – effectively doubling the size of the medical centre.
Karen Lloyd, the surgery’s managing partner, said in a statement there were real concerns for patients’ safety if the expansion could not be made possible.
She said around 1,000 residents would soon be living at the new £75m Friar Gate Goods Yard development. When complete, they would most likely be registering with the surgery, as it would be their closest one.
Her letter to the council said: “Without immediate investment and proactive expansion, we face the real possibility of having to close our patient registration list, posing serious risks to both patient safety and access to care.
“This application represents a critical step to ensure that Vernon Street Medical Centre can continue to meet the health needs of a rapidly growing population.”
Objections were raised that the extension would mean the loss of car parking spaces, forcing an increase in on-street parking nearby.
Concerns were also raised that the design “is not in keeping with the local area”.
But Derby City Council planning officers approved the plans and granted planning permission.
A planning officer’s report responded to the concerns but was satisfied that the plans could go ahead.
It said: “The proposal is not considered to result in an unacceptable impact on highway safety or parking conditions to such an extent that would warrant refusal of the application.”
It added: “While there is a small degree of less-than-substantial harm to the listed building and the conservation area, this is outweighed by the public benefits of enhanced healthcare provision.”
The practice previously, together with healthcare partners, explored the development of new premises at King Charles Drive, Mackworth but the statement said the project had seen “no material progress”.
Bosses then “took the strategic step of purchasing the surgery on Vernon Street, with the intention of expanding onsite”.
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