PLANS for a new town centre health clinic in Eastleigh have been approved.

What was once a Chinese restaurant is set to become a children's health centre and sexual health clinic.

It will be located in the Swan Centre Leisure Extension in what was the Kung Fu buffet and which has stood empty since last April.

There will be two separate entrances to the centre, with the children's health area featuring four counselling rooms, a group room, toilets, reception and waiting area.

Meanwhile, the sexual health clinic will also feature four consulting rooms, an interview room and a laboratory.

The clinic will have shared back-of-house functions such as staff changing rooms, storage, a disposal hold, IT hub and housekeeping.

The application which was submitted by Solent NHS Trust was approved because it will support the vitality and viability of the town centre.

According to the NHS locals will benefit from improved availability of services due to their central location in the Swan Centre.

The NHS claims its children’s therapies and sexual health clinics will support the delivery of high quality and dedicated healthcare.

It is hoped the central location of the clinics within the Swan Centre will mean longer opening hours.

Patients will also benefit from a range of public transport connections including bus and rail links.

Deputy leader of Eastleigh Borough Council and cabinet member for regeneration, Paul Bicknell, said: "It is a positive addition to the town centre. Eastleigh is very lucky in that our occupancy levels are slightly higher than the regional and national averages but this will Still be very welcome to the town centre.

"Town centres are changing from their traditional concept and becoming less about retail and more about places as destinations to either partake in leisure activities, generally relaxing, hence the increase in coffee shops and cafes, eating out in restaurants or to visit community facilities such as health hubs, libraries etc.

"The addition of this new health clinic in the Swan Centre forms part of that transition and will provide a valuable service that can be accessed quickly and easily within the town centre in between potentially doing other things rather than as a standalone clinic outside and away from the town centre.

"As time moves on more of these type of facilities will appear in town centres across the country as towns adapt to modern lifestyles and demands."