West End 'diagnostic centre' funding revives health hub bid

FUNDING CONFIRMED FOR MEDICAL CENTRE ON COLIN CAMPBELL SITE

- WILLIAM TELFORD

A £25m medical centre could be built on Colin Campbell Court after all, bringing a major boost to Plymouth city centre. The Government has confirmed funding for a new Community Diagnostic Centre to be built in the West End.

The building is not the £40m health hub that was expected to go on Colin Campbell Court before NHS Devon said it couldn’t afford to pay for it. The funding comes from a different source and the Diagnostic Centre will have a different purpose but there is jubilation in the city that a medical centre will be built and could kick-start other health-related investment and even revive the health hub plan.

Cllr Mark Lowry, Labour’s cabinet member for finance, said: “Clearly this is great news for the city centre and for the health of our residents. Not only will this ease the pressure off services at Derriford (hospital), it will increase the number of people in and around the West End, supercharge the regeneration of this part of the city centre and, vitally, will mean it is easier for people living nearby to access services more easily.”

The Government announced Plymouth as a site for one of eight new Community Diagnostic Centres. Details of when work will start, how the building will look, and where exactly it will be built have yet to be determined.