TOWN leaders are standing by their proposal to allow a medical centre to be built on a public playing field in Frodsham, despite opposition from residents.

Cheshire West Primary Care Trust (PCT) had almost given up hope of finding an affordable town-centre site for the proposed development.

But then Frodsham Town Council agreed to consider using the London Road playing field, known as Bottom Field, near the community centre.

The council has failed to convince everyone that sacrificing the public open space, owned by the town council, for a medical centre would benefit the community by uniting the town's two GP surgeries and other community health services under one roof.

Family doctors and health workers at The Rock Surgery need to move out of their cramped premises in High Street but have been unable to find a suitable site to build a larger surgery.

Partners at The Knoll Surgery, also in High Street, are keen to relocate and to share the proposed medical centre.

Frodsham Community Centre's management committee has also agreed in principle to Bottom Field being used for a medical centre.

However, the town council is locked in a bitter battle with St Luke's RC Primary School.

Its pupils have used the Bottom Field daily since the school relocated from Ashton Drive to The Willows 10 years ago.

Staff and governors say the town council should honour its agreement to allow the school to use the site.

However, town councillors say the authority had 'no contractual obligation to St Luke's, which does not own or have any more rights over Bottom Field than other users of the land, such as Frodsham Junior Football Club'.

The proposal to take over Bottom Field has also angered some residents in Blue Hatch, Fluin Lane, The Willows and London Road.

Families in Blue Hatch fear the proposed development would overlook their homes, cause traffic congestion and parking problems.

Objectors' group Hands Off Our Field (HOOF) has handed a 73-signature petition asking the town council not to release the field for development and to 'urge the PCT to pursue other sites, for example, vacant land in Ashton Drive, and pay the market price'.