Planners have granted outline planning permission for a new health facility and 166 homes in west Hull.
Springhead Medical Practice in Willerby Road has more than 16,000 patients and several ideas have been explored to create new facilities, housing GPs, community services and a pharmacy under one roof.
Currently split over two sites, the existing surgery is not fit for purpose and limits the practice’s ability to serve the practice population effectively.
The aim of the new facility is to improve access to services for existing local patients and ensure sustainable, high quality primary care for the future.
NHS Hull Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Springhead Medical Centre (now part of the Modality Partnership), Springhead Patient Participation Group (PPG) and development partner Citycare explored several options to find the most effective and affordable solution to support sustainable primary care in this part of the city.
Now, the go-ahead has been given to develop the plans in Calvert Lane on land owned by Trinity House Charity after hundreds of people had their say at public drop-in sessions, as well as through verbal and written feedback.
In a joint statement, applicants Trinity House Charity and Citycare said: “We have been working together to bring forward a coordinated development for up to 166 houses, public green space, a new primary care health centre to accommodate the Springhead Medical Practice (now part of the Modality Partnership), and a pharmacy.
“The current Springhead Medical Practice premises are not fit for purpose and various site options for the health facility have been considered, including the Wymersley Park area of West Hull. The Trinity House Charity grounds were the preferred option.
“We have taken time to engage with the community on several occasions, revising the plans at each stage, and during the determination period for the joint planning application.
“We thank the committee and the planning authority for their consideration and decision, as well as consultees and members of the public for their feedback, which has helped to shape the development proposals so far.
“We fully appreciate the local community’s concerns and we will continue to work with the planning authority and the community throughout the next stages of the process, and share further information to demonstrate how these concerns can be mitigated.
“These concerns include flood risk, air quality and highways. We are pleased to have reached an agreement with the council on a contribution from this development towards wider strategic improvements to this part of the city.
“Following today’s positive decision, we will now work on the detailed proposals for this site and the community will have another opportunity to view and comment on them in the near future.”
As well as GP surgeries, an extensive range of community health services, social care and voluntary services could also be housed within the new facility. A new fit-for-purpose building will provide more space to recruit staff to cater for the patients.
It comes as there is growing demand and more pressure on primary care services and GPs, increasing health activity and an ageing population.
The new health facility, which is likely to be operational within two years, will help to manage large patient lists where several GPs are in one building and aim to take pressure off acute services.
Detailed designs will now be developed for the health facility alongside GPs to show the community before final details can be approved by planners.
The housing scheme will be progressed by another party on a separate timescale which is yet to be confirmed.
