Mixed views on healthcare plans

10:15am Thursday 9th October 2008

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MORETON residents have cautiously welcomed a proposal to build a hospital at The Fire Service College just outside the town but have reservations about a doctors’ surgery being put there.

This how the college’s agent summed up residents’ response to its application, to Cotswold District Council, for outline planning permission to build a hospital, doctors’ surgery and healthcare village on 10.4 hectares of surplus land at its London Road campus.

About two and a half years ago, the college instructed its agent, the Knight Frank estate agents company, to review possible uses for the land.

Health facilities were suggested because Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust (PCT) is considering sites on which to locate a new health and social care campus in Moreton - to replace the town’s existing hospital and its two doctors’ surgeries - after receiving government funding for this purpose.

The PCT is considering several possible sites for the campus, including the college.

Knight Frank held a public consultation exhibition in Moreton during August.

About 100 residents attended and were asked what facilities they would like built at the site, with 76 per cent favouring a National Health Service hospital, 22 per a private hospital, 57 per cent a surgery, 78 per cent an ambulance station and 15 per cent other amenities.

These other uses included an NHS dentist, dispensary, nursing/care homes, residential care housing and chiropody, chiropractic and complementary therapy rooms.

For the health village, 24 per cent favoured a care home, 20 per cent close care accommodation, 17 per cent independent care housing and 76 per cent a combination of all these.

However, many attendees expressed concern that sick and elderly people would have difficulty reaching the site because it is too far from the town centre.

Some suggested a shuttle bus service could ferry people between the town centre and the development.

Knight Frank’s James Coker said: “There was a general consensus that it wasn’t a bad place to put a hospital because, actually, you don’t go to a hospital every day and most people going to hospital go there by car or ambulance.

“There was concern about a doctors’ surgery that far out of town but that may depend on where you live in the town.”

It is not yet known when the council’s planning committee will consider the application.