A ROW has erupted in Catford over plans to turn a site earmarked for a GP's surgery into a temporary car park.

The project to build a Primary Care Centre on the former Prendergast school site, in Rushey Green, was stopped in its tracks in July after health bosses revealed a mix-up over the type of lease.

Now Lewisham Community Health Council (CHC) claims the project will be delayed even further because the health authority wants to use the site as an extra car park for Lewisham Hospital staff while a new business case is being planned.

CHC chairman Alan Hall says he is worried the temporary car park will become permanent and the surgery, which was first proposed 10 years ago, will never be built.

But health authority bosses say the car park would be a temporary measure for no more than 12 months and will not delay surgery plans.

Mr Hall said: “If a temporary car park is built on the site, it will be the final straw.

“It seems to me the health authority cares more about car parking than GP services. And who's to say this temporary car park will not become permanent?”

But a Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham Health Authority spokesman said it is “commited to building the centre” and a final report based on an options appraisal will soon be completed.

She said: “However, there has been a discussion with University Hospital Lewisham about the possibility of using this site temporarily to increase the hospital's car parking capacity.”

Chief executive of Lewisham Hospital, Michael Scott, said: “The site is an eyesore, it is overgrown with weeds and boarded up.

“It makes sense to make the most of the space for extra car parking until building gets underway for the GP centre.”