A NEW health centre will be built on part of the former Radcliffe Infirmary site despite conservation fears.

The state-of-the-art building, by Oxford University, will house three city GP surgeries, currently based at the existing centre in Cranham Street, Jericho.

The centre was granted planning permission by Oxford City Council on Thursday night.

Once complete, the three-storey £11.5m centre will be home to the uiversity’s department of public heath and Oxford University Press on upper floors. It will be one of the first new buildings to be constructed on the former infirmary site between Woodstock Road and Walton Street, which was bought by the university in 2003.

Conservationists and residents had raised fears the new centre would block views of the Radcliffe Observatory.

Councillor Clark Brundin said: “I remain concerned about the bulk of the south part of this building.”

But architect Russell Brown, of Hawkins Brown, told the council’s strategic development control committee: “We have worked for over two years with the doctors and practitioners coming into this building so it is designed for their requirements. It will transform what they can offer to the community.”

City planning officers had recommended approval for the development.

The building will be a small part of the university’s wider redevelopment of the site.