PLANS for a medical centre, which has been awaited for about 40 years are set to be amended to take into account design improvements.

As already reported in the Evening Advertiser, work is under way to build the new surgery on land next to the community centre on Guildford Avenue in Lawn.

When complete, probably at the beginning of next year, the building will be occupied by the Victoria House Surgery, which is currently based in Victoria Road.

Swindon Council's planning committee approved the two-storey £650,000 building in March.

When permission was granted, local people said the community had been waiting for such a modern centre for about four decades. On Tuesday the committee will consider another planning application, to change the shape of the roof of the entrance from a half-pitch to a part-hexagonal design and also add two roof windows to a first floor storage area.

The surgery is being built by Fordingbridge-based Medcentres Property Ltd, and will be leased back to the GPs who use it.

Planning officers have recommended that the planning committee grants the request at its meeting. The building is set to include four consulting rooms for GPs, a treatment room to be used as a base for two nurses and a room where minor operations will be carried out.

Nobody at the existing surgery was available to comment.