A York GP surgery is to close, it has been confirmed.
The Bishopthorpe Branch Surgery will shut in less in early July.
A letter has been sent to patients by the Old School Medical Practice. The partners say they have announced the closure “with great sadness”.
The letter says: “Many of you will be aware that our lease comes to an end on 4th July this year.
“We have only very recently been informed by the landlord that they will not be renewing the lease.
“Over the last few months we have been in discussion with the landlord about an alternative way forward, including the possibility of a temporary extension to the lease, but those discussions have not been successful.
“We have been offered the use of space at Vernon House but due to the many strict guidelines and protocols surgeries must adhere to and follow, this space will not be suitable.”
Concerns were raised over the future of the practice after a planning application revealed plans to merge the Bishopthorpe surgery with the premises in Horseman Lane, Copmanthorpe.
Closing the Bishopthorpe surgery will leave residents without adequate access to a GP, ward councillors say.
There is no direct bus link between the two villages and so this would require residents walk to York College to catch the 840 Coastliner or go into York to catch the 13 if they do not have access to a car.
York Lib Dems and local campaigner Chris Gammie launched a petition asking for the decision to close the surgery to be reconsidered by the NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board.
The planning application is to create six new clinical rooms at Copmanthorpe.
In their letter, the Old School Medical Practice partners say: “Our focus is ensuring that our patients continue to receive the same standard of care from the Copmanthorpe site.
“In addition, the surgery will undergo a full refurbishment and extension to deliver more health care services and capacity to our patients.
“After discussions with the NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Team (ICB), there will be measures put in place for those who have no transport options, we can announce more on this once the details have been agreed.”
They added: “We appreciate that many of you will have concerns and we will try to address these in the coming weeks via communications sent directly to you and on our social media page.”