2 May 2008

Construction will start later this month on the new £14m health centre which will be a key part of the major Freshney Green housing regeneration scheme in the former Yarborough area of Grimsby.

To be known as the Freshney Green Primary Care Centre, and situated on Central Parade, the 7,000 sq metre building on three floors will provide extensive one-stop NHS primary care services to over 30,000 patients in the area. Three local GP practices, Field House, Woodford and Littlefield Lane will relocate to the new centre which will also house an NHS dentist and a pharmacy.

In addition there will be accommodation for a mental health unit, community and social care services and community health nurses provided by North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus (CTP). 

The centre is being developed and funded by Assura, one of the UK’s leading investors in and developers of primary care centres, who were appointed along with their development partner, LSP Developments, by the CTP in December 2006. Assura, which is funding the £14m scheme, is also building in at its own risk over 1000 sq metres of future expansion space.

The building contract has been awarded to Multibuild and construction is scheduled for completion by summer 2009.

The Freshney Green Primary Care Centre is in conjunction with local social landlord Shoreline Housing Partnership and award-winning developer Stamford Homes whose multi-million pound, 440 home housing showpiece is completely transforming the area.

Announcing the start of work Andrew Darke, head of Assura’s property division, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with the Care Trust Plus, Shoreline and the Council on part of such an exciting regeneration scheme.

“Freshney Green Primary Care Centre will be a superb new facility for both patients and medical staff.  We shall be working closely with the GPs to ensure a modern medical centre best suited to their requirements and the needs of the NHS to deliver first class medical care to the local community.”

Dr Julian Clark of the Woodford Medical Centre said: “We believe the new centre will offer huge health benefits to a great many people in North East Lincolnshire. The amount of space and facilities we will have means we can not only expand the services we currently offer but introduce many new areas to create a more integrated and effective service.
 

"We are very proud to be involved in such a huge redevelopment project," he continued. "The levels of investment being put into this project are representative of the enthusiasm we are approaching it with."

Jane Lewington, Chief Executive of North East Lincolnshire CTP said: “The development of the Freshney Green Primary Care Centre is a hugely exciting development in North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus’s Estate Strategy.

“The entire redevelopment of the Yarborough area is a massive undertaking and the CTP is very pleased to be providing such a focal point. In its estate strategy the CTP set out a shared vision where high quality primary care services were provided in state-of-the-art, fit for purpose premises and we feel this new project certainly meets these criteria.”

Shoreline chief executive Tony Bramley said: “This is a very exciting time with work due to start on both new homes and the primary care centre. We are delighted that this new facility will sit alongside our housing showpiece, benefiting residents and contributing to the regeneration and bright new future for this community that is Freshney Green.”

ENDS

Picture caption: Artist’s impression of the new Freshney Green Primary care Centre on which work start later this month (May).

PRESS ENQUIRIES:

Andrew McKeon, AJM Public Relations.
Tel: 01423 734 560; Mobile: 07802 484 155

Louise Bathersby, Assura Group.
Tel: 020 7107 3830

• Assura Property, is a division of Assura Group, one of the UK’s leading investors in primary care premises and which is currently well over half way through a £750 million investment programme. It has already committed investment in over 150 premises and works in partnership with GPs, health boards, primary care trusts and health professionals to deliver primary care property, pharmacy and medical services across the UK.