WEST Wirral MP Stephen Hesford has welcomed the approved building of a new GP health centre in Thingwall.

Wirral Primary Care Trust's application for the development of a one-stop care centre on the site of the former Warrens Nursery in Thingwall Road East, Thingwall was given the go-ahead by the council's planning committee earlier this evening.

As a result surgeries in Irby, Thingwall and Heswall will relocate to the centre.

More than 100 people, both in favour and against the scheme, gathered at Wallasey Town Hall to await the decision.

Afterwards Mr Hesford, who has campaigned for eight years to see the new GP centre built, said: "This decision ends a Titanic struggle of more than eight years.

"It was a lonely fight at times as, for example, the Wirral West Tory Parliamentary spokesperson campaigned against the health centre at The Warrens via newsletters and consistently refused requests to support the project. This was a pity.

"The council have made the right decision. This is great news for my constituents in Pensby and Irby and I hope the tiny minority who were against the proposals will now come together behind this overdue and much-needed development."

Prior to the meeting, six petitions had been handed in to the planning committee with the names of more than 700 people objecting to the scheme.

More than 600 letters have also been received in support of the plan.

Those against were concerned that the new development would be inaccessible to many, particularly the elderly, and will lead to traffic congestion, pollution and the loss of green belt land.

Val Curtis, chairwoman of Friends of Arrowe Park was among those campaigning against the plan.

She told the Globe: "I'm not surprised by the decision, but I had hoped the councillors would have made more resistance, particularly with our concerns about potential traffic hazards.

"I made the point this evening about the fact that the elderly in Irby will be without a doctor unless they travel to this new building. As far as I'm concerned, the fight for the Warrens is not over."