Health chiefs have thrown their support behind plans to move a Bradford surgery despite public opposition.

North Bradford Primary Care Trust agreed to support Ashcroft Surgery in Sherwood Place, Undercliffe, moving to the site of the former Eccleshill Upper School in Harrogate Road.

Doctors at the surgery believe it is the only way to meet the needs of a modern health service.

The support of the PCT, which is responsible for developing health care services in the north Bradford, Shipley, Baildon, and Eccleshill areas, follows a public consultation in which letters went out to 3,500 households of the 8,000 patients registered with the practice. There were also two pubic meetings at St Augustine's Church, Undercliffe, where patients had the chance to put forward their views.

Lesley Sterling-Baxter, assistant director of patient empowerment and consumer development for the Trust, told a board meeting at New Mill, Saltaire: "Given that 146 patients out of the 8,000 patients responded, it seems reasonable that the PCT supports the proposal."

She added that the PCT would work with the practice to help them look at services and how they could be developed.

"The practice is running public participation groups to see how patients would like to see services developed," she said.

Out of the 146 responses to the consultation, 13 letters fully supported the proposals.

Others raised areas of concern, which included difficulties getting to the new location and the inadequacies of public transport to the site. There were worries about the safety of the Eccleshill site, with some people asking for adequate lighting and security.

Others asked for the Ashcroft site to retain a branch surgery, while there was also concern about how repeat prescriptions would be obtained and fears that the pharmacy at Sherwood Place would be forced to shut without a surgery there.

Trust chirman Norman Roper said: "As a result of the consultation we hope that an agreement can be reached which takes account of what was said at the public meetings."

Mrs Sterling-Baxter will now work with the practice and will report back to the May meeting of the PCT board.