Halstead may get more GPs if developments go ahead, health bosses have said.

Concerns about the number of new houses planned for the town have often centred on whether the GP surgery, Elizabeth Courtauld Surgery, would be able to cope with the rise in the population.

A planning application for 300 houses in Oak Road, Halstead, and early proposals for up to 275 houses in Ravens Avenue, Halstead, means that more than 1,000 people could be moving to the town if both plans are realised.

Despite the concerns the strain new developments could have on the current GP surgery, NHS England, which deals with the buying of health care provision, has said it is not looking to open a new practice.

Carolyn Larsen, head of commissioning for Mid Essex for NHS England East, said: “We are not aware of any plans currently to develop a new GP practice in Halstead.

“However should any proposals emerge we would look to work closely with both the local authority and the developers to assess the likely impact on both patients and healthcare in the local area.”