A minor injuries department and a minor surgical unit could be established when Surbiton Hospital is redeveloped thanks to pressure from local residents.

Health chiefs have also agreed none of the site should be sold off and have assured representatives of the Save Surbiton Hospital campaign there are no plans for a housing development on part of the land.

The announcement follows a meeting between campaign members chief executive Fred Little of Kingston and District NHS Trust and Dr Phil Moore of Central Surgery, who is pressing for the redevelopment.

But serious disagreements still remain despite a joint statement which said they had "so far found very few points of disagreement".

Ted Bunker, the 88-year-old resident leading the campaign, and his deputy Peter Bell emerged from the meeting convinced the current building was now saved and Dr Moore and other GPs from Oakhill Health Centre would not be moving their surgery onto the site.

But a trust spokesman said there appears to be a misunderstanding. He said the trust believes the current building is unsuitable for redevelopment and added: "Our view is that GP's surgeries are a part of the NHS and the opportunity of bringing them onto the same site shouldn't be ignored."

There was agreement that current services at the hospital should remain, all facilities on the site should be part of the NHS, and that the Child and Family Centre on Ewell Road could be sold off and new facilities created at the hospital .

Mr Bell vowed to continue the fight: "We have won a battle not the war."

Kingston and Surbiton MP Edward Davey has voiced his concerns over the redevelopment.

The campaign plans a massive petition and public meetings in the coming months.

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