YORK doctors are to leave their flood-hit premises, after gaining planning permission to convert a city centre office block into a new surgery.

Jorvik Medical Practice in Peckitt Street - the only GPs' surgery within the city walls - was poised to move out of the city centre altogether, practice partner Dr Sarah Bottom said.

But, following the decision at a meeting of City of York Council's central area planning and transport sub-committee, the practice is now set to move into its new premises at Woolpack House, Stonebow.

The move, planned for spring next year, will mean the eventual closure of the Peckitt Street surgery, which was affected in the 2000 floods.

During the flooding doctors at the surgery were forced to move to Jorvik's sister practice in Bishopthorpe Road for six months while repairs took place.

The new practice in Stonebow will see the surgery's facilities expanded and disabled access will be improved.

Dr Bottom said she was thrilled with the decision, which had followed a long struggle to find new premises.

She said: "It means that we have the opportunity to distance ourselves from the floods as well as to construct an up- to-date, all-singing, all-dancing health centre which will deliver modern appropriate primary health care to our patients."

Dr Bottom said the current surgery, which is in a terraced house, was unsuitable for a modern practice.

Updated: 10:05 Monday, June 09, 2003