A STATE-of-the-art £8.5 million health centre in Malvern is one stone nearer to completion.

A topping out ceremony marked the final stone being placed at the highest point on the new Malvern Health Centre, which is on track for completion by August.

The land, in Pickersleigh Road, was bought from Malvern Hills District Council in 2006, after the authority agreed to reduce the price of the former depot site from £500,000 to £400,000.

When the site - being developed and built by Alfred McAlpine - is complete, the town's Prospect View Medical Centre and the Court Road Surgery and Malvern Hills Centre will move in.

Practice manager David Jago, of Prospect View in Victoria Park Road, and Lin Norman, of the Court Road Surgery said: "We are delighted that our relationship with Alfred McAlpine is producing a building that we can all be proud of.

"We look forward to delivering a 21st-century service from a modern, purpose- designed building that will have a high-quality finish."

The centre will be run by practice managers and Worcestershire Primary Care Trust.

Bob Tattrie, Alfred McAlpine's managing director of developments, said: "We are delighted to see such significant progress with the project, which took two and a half years of planning prior to commencement on site.

"As can be seen from the state of construction, it is going to be an outstanding development on behalf of the GPs and their patients.

"Careful planning and the close working relationship with Malvern Hills District Council on the remediation of the site has ensured that the Alfred McAlpine construction team can build the scheme in line with the original programme and specification."

The building, which will incorporate general medical and community health services, dentistry and a pharmacy, will be officially opened in September.