More than £8.7 million raised through a levy on developers has been allocated to improving Southwark’s health services and GPs – including three new ‘community health hubs’.

The hubs, in Dulwich, Elephant and Castle and Old Kent Road, will have both primary care services, like GPs, and other services across health and social care.

But Cllr Adele Morris raised concerns the hubs were not in the wards which had seen the most development.

Section 106 money is raised from developments and must be spent on lessening the impact of increased pressure on GPs and transport links, and other community infrastructure.

Developments in Borough, Bankside and Walworth raised £3.9m through the levy, followed by Bermondsey and Rotherhithe at £3.1m, Camberwell at £1.2m, Peckham and Nunhead down at £415k, and Dulwich at £34k.

Speaking at Tuesday's planning committee, Cllr Morris, who is a ward councillor for Borough and Bankside, said: “Dulwich have contributed £34,092.30 yet Dulwich are getting a new health centre and people in my ward are constantly saying ‘why are we not getting a new doctors surgery?'”

She also raised concerns the committee were being asked to agree spending without knowing what the projects were.

A Southwark Council officer said the approach was “strategic” – with the freed-up money now able to go towards “a number of projects” including improvements to GP practices.

“It’s a strategic plan, borough-wide,” he said. 

“There will be support hubs at Aylesbury, Canada Water, Surrey Docks and The Lister in Peckham.

“The strategy also looks at the hotspots [like] Old Kent Road, and it does mention Blackfriars and the Borough-area as a hotspot.

 “We are also looking at improvements to GP practices as part of the overall strategy as well. There are a number of projects that are in the process of being developed and his money will help those particular projects,” he explained.

He said the “potential regeneration projects” also included a scheme with Perry Library and Keyworth Hospital, with the council also looking into the need for a community health hub in Old Kent Road.  

Improvements to facilities at Camberwell Green Surgery and Pembroke House were also needed, he said.