The controversial polyclinic is expected to be up and running by the beginning of May next year and would be the first of its kind in the county, offering a 12-hour walk-in service, seven days a week.

The new clinic, or Darzi centre – named after health minister Lord Darzi – is also expected to offer sexual health and family planning, mental health and counselling services, services for the homeless, a substance misuse service and the possibility of a minor injury service or “mini” A&E.

But in a letter addressed to residents, local GPs – including those at Filey and Hunmanby surgeries – say the new centre is not needed and has been “imposed” on the town, and that the money would be better spent in other ways.

Filey GP Dr Phil Garnett, who also chairs the GP consortium for Scarborough, Filey and parts of Ryedale, said it would not be a “direct threat” to existing services but he believed private involvement in such schemes could lead to the creation of a two-tier health service that would ultimately damage the NHS.

He said: “I think it’s this Government’s attempt to privatise primary care because it can’t afford to pay for the NHS.”

While he said he welcomed any new spending on areas like mental health, he did not think that was where the vast majority of the money would go and that the proposal would do nothing to improve the health of residents.

Dr Garnett and other GPs hope to organise a public meeting within the next few weeks to discuss the proposals and put their case.