Surgery not closing despite ‘house plans’

The Highdown Practice, in Highdown Avenue, Worthing, was subject to a planning application to convert it into houses being lodged to Worthing Borough Council last week.

But the applicant, a former doctor at the surgery, reassured the Herald that it was simply a resubmission of an old plan, which was granted in 2011.

Dr Nicholas McCarthy said it was to maintain the existing permission and avoid having to resubmit the plans.

He added there were no plans to close in the foreseeable future and that the surgery was ‘highly popular and successful’, which would be missed by the community should it be closed.

A spokesperson for NHS England said: “We have not had an approach from the landlord of Highdown Practice about the future of the surgery.

“We would expect that any proposals affecting the future of a practice would be raised with the area team, as commissioners of the service.”