Grand plans to build a new health and wellbeing centre in Dartmouth been given the go-ahead.

The local NHS, South Hams District Council, Dartmouth Medical Practice and other partners are working together to build a state-of-the-art new home for GP and NHS services in the town.

The new £4.8m centre will be located on part of the overflow park-and-ride car park, located just outside Dartmouth on the A3122, where it joins with the A379 by Lidl supermarket.

Councillors on South Hams’ Development Management Committee on Wednesday morning overwhelming voted in favour of granting planning permission for the scheme.

The aim of the new centre is to bring many local health services under one roof, for the benefit of people in Dartmouth, will provide a wide range of services formerly provided at Dartmouth Hospital and currently offered by TSDFT at Dartmouth Clinic, and would also house Dartmouth Medical Practice, Dartmouth Caring, and retail outlets such as a pharmacy.

Backing the plans, Cllr Jonathan Hawkins, who represents the Dartmouth and East Dart ward, said: “The loss of Dartmouth Hospital has been well represented in the last three years and while they are not planning matters, we have concerns about the loss of beds in the town and the MIU, given Totnes hasn’t had one for many months either.

“This facility provided will be greatly improved on what we have had in the last few years since the closure of the hospital and the combining of all the health facilities, this facility will be a great improvement for the residents of Dartmouth and the surrounding parishes.”

Cllr Hilary Bastone, who also represents the Dartmouth and East Dart ward, added: “We’ve not had a hospital for three years so this is essential so we do have some sort of health and wellbeing centre, and it will accommodate other services that have continued in the town. It is in the right place and I fully support it.”

Cllr Rosemary Rowe said that it had been long awaited and all the facilities there are needed will be there, while Cllr Helen Reeve said: “This will be a real asset to Dartmouth and the villages around it.”

Councillors heard that the aim of the proposal is to bring health and wellbeing services under one roof. The building would accommodate services currently provided by Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust at Dartmouth Clinic; Dartmouth Medical Practice; Dartmouth Caring and a retail pharmacy.

The main entrance is located in the junction between the pharmacy and the westwards element of the building, while on the remainder of the ground floor there are office spaces, audiology; outpatients; staff room; consulting rooms; podiatry reception and lobby, lifts and storage spaces. On the first floor, there are eight GP consulting rooms; seven nurse consult/treatment rooms; Phlebotomy room; administrative space; managers office; meeting room and a patient waiting area.

Recommending approval, officers said: “The proposal meets the relevant development plan policies. It is in a main town where such services should be focussed, it is part of the local plan allocation contributing towards the creation of a community hub, and in design and landscape terms it is acceptable and so is recommended for approval.”

Councillors voted by 10 votes to one in favour of approval, with one abstention due to technical issues with their connection to the virtual meeting.

The overall project cost was due to be around £4.8m, with the cost of building the centre at £4.1m, with £1m of that coming from the sale of the former Dartmouth Community Hospital.