An NHS walk-in centre will shut despite thousands fighting its closure.

More than 2,000 people from across the borough signed a petition calling for the centre at Loxford Polyclinic, which offers same day unplanned medical appointments to those in need of urgent care, to remain open.

But Redbridge Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has decided to redesign the way services are provided at the Loxford Polyclinic, a medical practice where nine GPs are based alongside the walk-in centre and other medical facilities in the Ilford Lane, Loxford.

The group plans to provide bookable urgent care appointments at the polyclinic and ensure better use of the building but said the changes will be “phased in” with support made available during the transition process.

They added that they were looking into bringing GP services and a community health services on to the site in future.

At a full council meeting on September 20, campaigners handed a petition to Redbridge Council which had been signed by more than 2,000 people, calling for the walk-in centre to remain open.

Cllr Neil Zammett, of Goodmayes ward, said it was the highest number of responses to a petition that he had seen as a councillor.

But Redbridge CCG claims the petition was not brought to its attention until the council wrote a letter on October 11 – three weeks after the petition had first been presented at full council and more than five weeks after the CCG’s consultation deadline had been and gone on September 4.

A spokesman for Redbridge CCG said: “Redbridge Council wrote to us explaining the points made in the petition and the subsequent debate by the council on September 20.

“Although this was after the close of our 14-week public consultation (on September 4), we included information about the petition in the consultation report, together with Redbridge Council’s own response, other stakeholder responses and the views shared through the online consultation questionnaire.”

A spokesman for Redbridge Council confirmed that the authority wrote to the CCG on October 11, but said: “The CCG were in no doubt as to our view well before the debate took place on September 20, they fully considered the contents of the petition as part of its consultation, and the council has also been proactive in sharing its views in respect of the proposals since the launch of the consultation.”

The Redbridge CCG spokesman explained that the thousands of responses to the consultation, including the petition, had all been “carefully considered” as part of the CCG’s final decision, but confirmed the walk-in centre would no longer remain open.

They added: “Although a walk-in service will not be available at the Loxford in future, we are making improvements to urgent care which will mitigate some of concerns.”

Cllr Mark Santos, cabinet member for health for Redbridge Council, said: “It is very clear from the number of signatories that local residents are wholly opposed to the closure of walk-in services at Loxford Polyclinic and we are equally disappointed by the CCG’s decision.”

The cabinet member explained that he had received reassurances from the CCG that nobody would be turned away from seeing a GP and expanded services would be on offer at Loxford Polyclinic in future.

Cllr Santos added: “We will continue to stress to the CCG the importance of the walk in services as they provide a valuable option to our residents needing urgent care.”