A FORMER doctors' surgery in Melksham will be turned into flats following the practice's move to Melksham Hospital.

St Damians Surgery moved from Gower House in Place Road, Melksham, to the hospital's former inpatient unit in Spa Road in the spring.

The surgery, which has 2,700 patients on the book and is merged with St Margaret's Surgery in Bradford on Avon, was in premises next to Lloyds Bank, which is owned by former senior partner Dr Robert Hardie.

Dr Hardie, who retired two years ago, submitted a planning application to convert Gower House into five residential flats.

The application was approved by planners at West Wiltshire District Council under delegated powers.

There are hopes that St Damians could move to new healthcare premises on the planned east of Melksham development, which has outline planning permission and will feature hundreds of new homes.

In the meantime, Dr Hardie's decision to sell-up and the fact Gower House was no longer suitable for modern healthcare needs due to its design and layout, meant St Damians had to find alternative premises. The former hospital unit was an ideal stopgap.

The move means the town's three surgeries are all now in the same road, with Giffords Primary Care Centre just a stone's throw away.