Colne's multi-million pound health centre one step closer (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Colne's multi-million pound health centre one step closer

11:13am Thursday 18th October 2012 in News By Tyrone Marshall, Reporter

PLANS for a multi-million pound new health centre in Colne have moved closer after health bosses submitted a planning application.

Talks over plans for the health centre, on the former Kwik Save site in Craddock Road, began in 2008.

Now work has started on the demolition of the old supermarket and this week a planning application for the health centre was sent to Pendle Borough Council.

Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson said: “I welcome the fact that this scheme is in the final stage of approval and thank NHS East Lancashire for their regular updates.

“Colne’s current health centre is no longer fit for purpose so I am pleased to see this major investment being made.”

NHS East Lancashire will be launching a website for the scheme and holding a series of engagement events to support the planning application during October.

If approved, the new health centre will take 12 months to construct and then around four weeks to commission.

Coun Joe Cooney, Pendle Council leader, said: “I welcome the application for our new health centre.

“Many residents have raised concerns over the current health provision in our town but some have also raised concerns about the empty property on Craddock Road.

“If the application is approved, it will be another step on the continued regeneration and improvement of Colne town centre.”

Coun Dorothy Lord said: “This is really good news. After the original scheme fell through, and with all the changes in the NHS, we feared we might lose this project which is so important for our town.”