TESCO car park will remain an impromptu extension to Stow's medical centre after plans for a brand new facility off Oddington Road were refused on Wednesday.

The application for the gypsy fair field in Maugersbury parish had received backing by parish and town councils but was narrowly voted against by members of Cotswold District Council's planning committee.

The plans were for a new, modern medical facility with parking for 30 cars, plus an overflow car park, and room for 14 staff vehicles and had been recommended for approval by officers.

A development of five houses was also proposed.

The parcel of land measures some 26.6 acres but just 4.27 acres would make up the developed area. The applicant, JRN Properties Ltd, proposed to sell 17.3 acres of land to Maugersbury Fields Ltd for £250,000 with a covenant in place restricting any form of further development other than for a community building and/or a tennis court.

The applicant proposed to keep the remaining 7.55 acres located in the north-west corner of the land parcel.

Speaking at the meeting, Dr Tim Healey said the current premises in Wells Road was overcrowded and not fit for purpose.

"The current surgery has no space to carry out many operations. Even flu vaccinations have to be given in Tesco car park," he said.

"The Care Quality Commission has lambasted our facilities. We have the funding from the NHS and we now have land. Permission is the final piece in the jigsaw." he added

Councillor Joseph Harris said the current situation with the present surgery was "at crisis". "There has been 250 letters of support from the community saying they need this facility. We need services and we need infrastructure," he said.

He was backed by Councillor Margaret Rickman. "I am appalled that people are having to have flue jabs in Tesco car park," she said. She also said the arguments the area was in an AONB did not outweigh the benefits of a new surgery.

"You can't make an omelette without cracking a few eggs," she said.

Opposing the application on behalf of objectors, Stow resident and former town councillor Chris Turner said the development "would do substantial and permanent harm to the landscape of the AONB and the particular setting of Stow".

He also noted that Cotswold District Council had recently won an appeal against Bovis' proposed development on a site almost adjacent to the one in question where specific reference had been made to the area's landscape.

Councillor Merryl Phillips was also opposed to the plans stating there was no need for a larger surgery and said Moreton, for instance, had many more parishioners and managed with their surgery.

Several people also queried where the current twice-yearly gypsy fair would have to move to should the field be given planning permission.

Councillor Rod Hooper said he was against building on an AONB while Councillor David Broad said the idea was "completely unacceptable".

The voting was eight against the plans and six for with one abstention.

"If it was just the surgery and not the additional houses I may be able to go along with it, but as it stands I am not in favour," he said.

Speaking after the meeting, Sophie Williams, practice manager at the surgery said.

"We are all very disappointed by the decision. We have been looking for a new site for the past 14 years and have looked at 19 different places.

"None of them were suitable except this one. We have no idea at the moment what we will do now."