By JANE FIELD

FEARS in the community that health centre patients could suffer if plans to extend Birchwood Shopping Centre go ahead have been allayed.

Ward councillors Chris Fitzsimmons, Pauline Nelson and Paul Ross, together with the health centre, have been fighting for the changes to the plans over the past two months.

The development would have meant the loss of around 80 car parking spaces adjacent to the 'cottage hospital' and a path used by the disabled for access to the chemist.

But the owners of Birchwood Mall, Legal and General, have agreed to provide six disabled car parking spaces adjacent to the new retail unit opposite the medical centre and 14 additional spaces will be marked 'patient priority' adjacent to Bensons Road.

A new footpath with dropped kerbs for disabled access for patients to the health centre will also be included in the plans.

"We are very pleased that we have resolved the issue to the satisfaction of the medical centre and Legal and General," said Birchwood's Town Council chairman, Clr Paul Ross.

"The development is good news for Birchwood."

A spokesman for Birchwood Shopping Centre said: "Many options were investigated and trialed, and we are pleased to say that the end result will offer a good solution for all parties.

"We look forward to the refurbishment and expansion of the shopping centre getting under way, and we look forward to a continued close relationship between the shopping centre, the local authority and the health centre."

The borough council's development control committee was discussing the plans as the GUARDIAN went to press. The planning officers' recomendation was to approve the proposals.