A Gloucestershire doctor hopes a proposed new surgery could help heal a deep rift in Chipping Campden.

Dr Giles Bointon is appealing to the community to support a bid for a desperately-needed medical centre at Wolds End Orchard.

Residents have been at loggerheads for years over a scheme to build a car park on the ancient Back Ends site.

Owners The Campden Society, who want to alleviate congestion in the High Street, gained planning permission three years ago.

But opponents say the car park will spoil the woodland and won't be used because it is in the wrong place.

More protests were sparked when the society laid an asphalt strip on the land to keep the planning permission alive.

This led GPs to show their hand and reveal plans for a new surgery to replace the current cramped 18-year-old base, combined with a town car park.

Dr Bointon, who runs the practice with three part-time doctors, said: "The car park row has been going on for at least 20 years so here's a bit of a healing idea for the town.

"People can't park their cars at the current surgery but we could have space at a new one and make it dual purpose.

"The Hedgehog community bus would be able to come in off the main road.

"More and more patients are coming to us – it's risen from 3,100 to 4,500 since 1991 and we're bursting at the seams.

"Mickleton no longer has a surgery and a lot of people find it easier to come here."

The GP said a new surgery would obviously offer a far better health service.

"The current one is not fit for purpose. Our district nurses or health visitors can't join us because there's no room," he said.

"We have a visiting community psychiatric nurse and he has to wait for one of us to vacate our rooms.

"We have to yet draw up plans, which go to the primary care trust, planning authority and to public consultation.

"But here's a chance to have a fantastic new facility, surrounded by lovely old ridge and furrow – and developers are going to have to answer to everyone if they're going to chop down even one old apple tree."