A Weston doctors surgery, which is set to close, could be turned into a nursing home for people with mental health problems.

Friend 4 Friend Ltd has applied to North Somerset Council to convert Clarence Park Surgery into a 10-bedroomed therapeutic nursing home.

If approved, the nursing home will be modelled on the Oaklands Nursing Home in Severn Road and managed by the same team, offering space for adults aged 18 to 65.

Pier Health Group Ltd confirmed Clarence Park Surgery will close and merge with nearby Graham Road Surgery on Tuesday as the Clarence Park landlord withdrew its lease.

MORE: Surgery set to close and patients transferred.

There is less than a mile between the two practices which serve around 5,000 patients, a high proportion of which are elderly people.

The home will be open 24 hours a day, will employ five people and be fully regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

The facility will care for people with stress, anxiety, thought disorders, depression or eating disorders.

Friend 4 Friend's design and access statement said: "The establishment of the Clarence Road unit on the Oaklands model would provide a means of helping these residents, allowing them to regain a sense of normality and will assist in unblocking expensive low secure beds on hospital wards.

"The property will not be extended in size but there will be internal changes, including additional loft space.

"Inevitably, there will be concerns that this proposal seeks to 'get people with mental health issues out onto the streets of Weston'. This is not the case."

MORE: Campaigners call for closure of Weston surgery to be delayed until health hub is built.

As with Oaklands, the home would be drug and alcohol free and would admit people primarily from the Weston area.

Residents are encouraged to undertake recreational, educational and life skills training in a family setting and to 'voluntarily engage with staff and the services provided to assist them with their recovery journeys'.

In July, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire CCG bosses confirmed they were looking for a Weston town centre site to relocate Clarence Park's operations to.

The CCG will host an open meeting for all Clarence Park patients at St Paul's Church, in Walliscote Road, tomorrow (Thursday) from 10am to noon.