PLANS for a new health centre for Malvern moved a step closer this week.

Malvern Hills District Council agreed to sell part of the old council depot, in Pickersleigh Road, as a site for the centre.

The council also agreed to maintain the pressure on South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust for a new hospital at Seaford Court.

At Tuesday's meeting, councillors voted unanimously to sell 2.7 acres to developers McAlpine. The new health centre will replace existing surgeries at Court Road and Victoria Park Road.

Coun Clive Smith proposed the depot site should only be handed over after the council has been given a detailed timetable for the new hospital, a proposal the council endorsed after some debate.

The site used to be the town gas works and work will be needed to remove chemical contamination.

Coun Smith proposed a further amendment, calling for a report on the cost of decontamination to be set out before the site sale is finalised. This was also approved.

Dr James Meredith, spokesman for the health centre project, was not available for comment.

Coun Tom Wells said: "This new health centre is very, very important. It will be a 21st Century primary health care centre. It will treat far more people than the new hospital will."

Not all of the depot site is being sold. Some two acres is remaining in council hands and could be developed for other purposes, such as low-cost housing.