Health centre campaigners call for talks

12:11pm Wednesday 13th August 2008

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HEALTH centre campaigners are urging local health bosses to start talks over developing a garage site in Scholar Green.

The call follows approval last night for a rival health centre scheme to one proposed for Portland Drive.

Plans for a centre on the former garage site were unanimously supported by planning committee members last night, Tuesday.

However Oakapple Primary Care and housebuilders Gladedale are pressing ahead with a scheme for Portland Drive.

Their plans for a health centre and 56 houses were rejected in January.

They have appealed against the refusal, and have submitted a new application for the Portland Drive site, again including 56 houses.

The plans could come before the October planning committee meeting.

The garage site plans were put forward by site owner Colin Ashley, and are backed by Scholar Green Greenfields Association.

Group founder Les Woollam said last night’s decision was “excellent news” for the village and surrounding area.

“For the first time in four and a half years the Primary Care Trust now has the option of a site with planning permission on which to develop a state of the art health centre,” he said.

“The village has been in turmoil over the last two years because the proposed health centre on greenfield land off Portland Drive came with a large housing development no-one wanted.

“We were all told if we didn’t accept the houses we would lose the health centre.

“In October Colin Ashley, the garage site owner, offered his site for the new health centre.

“Now, following the planning committee’s decision, the project can at last move forward, without any unwanted houses.

“We, as responsible custodians of our village, now implore the Primary Care Trust to enter into discussions about the garage site.”

Cllr Andrew Large told last night’s meeting the garage site plans were “a great way” of developing a derelict site.

“The site is big enough for what’s proposed, is directly accessible from the A34, and provides the best solution for a health centre in the community,” he said.

Cllr John Cliffe also backed the plans.

“Let’s have a site without a whacking great housing estate which is not needed,” he said.

Cllr Andrew Barratt opposed the scheme, claiming it was a “red herring” aimed at confusing matters.

He said the Primary Care Trust and the GPs wanted to see the new health centre built in Portland Drive.