Long-held hopes for a modern medical centre in Southwold or Reydon could finally be realised with three sites proposed for it.Public meetings will be held in Southwold, Reydon and nearby Walberswick to discuss the proposals for a healthy living centre with all health needs catered for at one convenient location.

Long-held hopes for a modern medical centre in Southwold or Reydon could finally be realised with three sites proposed for it.

Public meetings will be held in Southwold, Reydon and nearby Walberswick to discuss the proposals for a healthy living centre with all health needs catered for at one convenient location.

Southwold Surgery practice manager Alasdair Wilson said the centre was a long time coming and the current surgery, on York Road, was no longer adequate. “Plans have been festering for five years but now it has finally got going,” he said.

“We hope to get the go-ahead by the end of June and start building in the new year. It's very critical that it goes ahead. We just can't cope.”

The three potential sites are Might's Bridge next to the fire station, Eversley playing field in Reydon, and Reydon industrial site.

“We want to provide care closer to home, which is government policy and Waveney strategy, and the centre will enable this to happen more efficiently and with an even higher quality of service,” said Mr Wilson.

“We will have district nurses, hospital staff, a local pharmacy and a dentist all under one roof providing an efficient service for individual patients.

“We've had very positive feedback and it will be going ahead unless there is a huge change of heart. We are the priority in the Waveney and Yarmouth strategic plan.”

Mr Wilson said that once a site was chosen and funding available, an application for planning permission would be made to Waveney District Council. He added that the centre would be similar to one in Bungay and it would be a modern building in keeping with local surroundings.

The meetings will take place at St Edmund's Hall, Southwold, tonight at 7.30pm and at Reydon Village Hall on June 2 at 7.30pm. The date for Walberswick has yet to be finalised.