PLANS have been lodged for a permanent GP surgery in the Lake District after the practice received an eviction notice from its former premises last year.

Oakbank Surgery Ltd has submitted a planning application to the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) for a ‘permanent standalone solution’ for Haverthwaite Surgery on land at Oak Bank.

The proposed privately funded GP surgery will be located on the grounds of Oak Bank which has acted as an ‘emergency’ practice since April 2.

This comes after the surgery, which was located on land at Backbarrow, received an eviction notice from its landlord and a proposed 65 per cent hike in its rental lease agreement last year.

Planning documents say the proposed surgery on land at Oak Bank will be ‘modern’ and ‘environmentally friendly’ and will be set over two floors.

On the first floor it is proposed there will be ‘light and spacious’ patient waiting areas, a reception and four consultation rooms.

The first floor will provide a multi-purpose community space for uses such as health and wellbeing mindfulness/yoga classes.

Planning documents say: “The proposed surgery will provide a public space for patients and staff, future-proof the needs of the patient population and will also create a much-needed central hub for an ever-increasing rural population.”

The Haverthwaite GP surgery has nearly 3,000 patients and offers healthcare to people in ‘hard to reach’ areas of western Windermere and Coniston.

In January the LDNPA approved plans from John and Helga Barr to offer the Oak Bank in Haverthwaite as an ‘emergency’ GP surgery and the property has been used as a GP surgery since April 2.

Planning documents say the applicants are now working with Haverthwaite Surgery & NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB to secure a ‘permanent standalone solution’ in the grounds of Oak Bank that satisfies Care Quality Commission (CQC) best practice.

This planning application is under consideration.