A GP says grossly increased rents are preventing her from returning to a popular surgery that was left gutted by fire for three years.

Dr Stella Okonkwo is locked in a dispute with NHS England over increased service charges at the Brunswick Park Health Centre.

The building has been empty since January 2010 when an overnight fire, caused by an electrical fault, left the building severely damaged.

It has since been refurbished by site managers NHS England but Dr Okonkwo says the trust has raised its annual service charge fees from £5,000 to £25,000, preventing her from returning.

The dispute has led to a campaign from the East Barnet Residents’ Association, which is calling for the centre to be reopened.

Dr Okonkwo, who along with her medical team provided services at the centre for almost 25 years, is now running services from a house in Osidge Lane, New Southgate.

She said: “We very much want to be back in the health centre.  We have wanted to move back in since January 2013 but the conditions imposed by NHS England are untenable for us.

We have been trying to have a dialogue about the conditions but have had no response.

“A practice of my size simply cannot afford the increase in service charges they are proposing.

“Unfortunately there are no discussions taking place at the present time and we continue to wait for the NHS to reopen these discussions so that a solution can be found as soon as possible.”

Refurbishment work at the building was completed in January but it remains closed three months later.

NHS England, which was managing the building on behalf of the now-disbanded NHS North Central London, has since handed it over to the NHS property management wing and says it is working to find a solution.

A spokesman said: “The building itself was transferred to NHS property services, which is working with NHS England, the Clinical Commissioning Group and the health and well being board to re-establish and improve services in the health centre.

“As part of this process, the previous occupants have been offered a new lease so they can return to the centre.”