| 26th March 2006 - Go ahead given
for a new Health Centre for Wivenhoe
Last week, an important decision was made by Colchester PCT to proceed with a new Health Centre for Wivenhoe. This proposal has been under consideration for more than three years. A key issue has been one of location. A review by both the PCT and the Town Council more than two years ago showed that the only practicable site was alongside Wivenhoe's Fire Station. Whilst this is not the ideal location, as that would be somewhere closer to the centre of the community half way down The Avenue, it is the only place large enough to accommodate a new Health Centre which will require at least 1.2 acres of land, about twice the size of Cedrics Garage, a site that was also considered. The Town Council has been active in working to support Wivenhoe's hard-working doctors and has been in discussions with Joan Clarke, Chief Executive of Realise Health Ltd, the company set up by Colchester and Tendring PCTs to construct new medical premises in the area on their behalf. As a community we can expect to see a broader range of medical services offered from a new Health Centre. No longer will a team of 20 people be operating out of a converted bungalow for a community that has near doubled in size since it was acquired by the doctors 20 years ago. So, this news is an important and exciting step forward for everyone. It means that draft plans must be converted to a full planning application, preliminary negotiations with land owner Charles Gooch completed and discussions with Highways officers on how to deal with traffic issues come to a resolution. Wivenhoe's Town Councillors and Borough Councillors will be doing what they can to help this process. Cllr Peter Hill
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