MOBILE temporary health facilities will be placed on some disused tennis courts at the Abbey Stadium for the next two years.

Last Wednesday, the council's planning committee gave its approval for the facility - which will involve up to four large, adapted vehicles being on the site for varying periods.

The application was submitted by Mercury Health, a healthcare delivery business participating in the Department of Health's programme to provide healthcare to NHS patients.

The company said the site would be one of 52 across the West Midlands where essential diagnostic services would operate, including breast screening one to two times a week.

It originally applied for permission to use the site for seven years but the council's planning committee would only agree on two as it was concerned future applications for the site would be compromised.

Councillor David Hunt said the facility would be excellent for the people of Redditch and councillor Iris Beech said having the new diagnostic facilities could solve a lot of medical problems which could occur further down the line.

She also felt that the mobile facilities being so visible to the public would be a real benefit.

But planning committee chairman, councillor Nigel Hicks, said he thought the Abbey Stadium could possibly be the worse place in Redditch to put the diagnostic facility.

Mr Hicks said: "I don't like this at all. The idea of having this facility at a sports centre just doesn't sit comfortably with me.

"Wouldn't this be far better placed at one of the district centres in the town where more people would have easy access to it?

"And I can think of nowhere worse to put a breast screening and diagnostic facility than right next to a cemetery."