Work starts on £19m health and housing hub in Whitchurch
Work has started on a new £19 million housing and health hub in Whitchurch.
The Pauls Moss development will feature 71 self-contained extra care apartments for the over-55s and a new two-storey health centre for the wider community.
The project, which is expected to be completed by Summer 2024, is being delivered through a partnership between The Wrekin Housing Group, Shropshire Council, NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group and local GPs.
The builders are Vistry Partnerships West Midlands and the site will also include a community space and cafe and the integration of the existing Pauls Moss House sheltered housing facility.
Wayne Gethings, group chief executive at The Wrekin Housing Group said: “It’s fantastic news for the town that work has got underway to deliver integrated housing and health services for the community.
“It has been a real collaboration and we couldn’t have achieved it alone.
"We are very grateful for the support of Shropshire Council, NHS England, NHS Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin CCG and Churchmere Medical Group.
“It’s been a long journey to get here – around four years from the project’s inception – but a necessary one, as it ensures the town will have access to much needed specialist accommodation for older people, as well as a first-class new medical centre in a building that will be fit for future generations.”
Darren Beale, managing director of Vistry Partnerships West Midlands added: “We have extensive experience designing and constructing extra care schemes and we’re very pleased to be working in partnership with The Wrekin Housing Group.
"As one of the country’s leading regeneration specialists we recognise the need to support our partners to build homes across all tenures, particularly homes and care services for older people.
“We look forward to building these homes for residents to have a happy and joyful place to move to.”
Dr Tim Lyttle, GP partner Churchmere Medical Group added: “We’re all so excited to see that work on our new health centre is getting underway.
"Providing the best possible service to those in our communities has always been our top priority and having this new health centre will certainly help us continue to do this well into the future.”
Dean Carroll, Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for physical infrastructure said the project is an 'excellent example' of partners coming together to meet both the health and housing needs of the community.
"Work has been going on tirelessly behinds the scenes to progress this development and this announcement is an important next step in bringing forward our vision for Shropshire people to be the healthiest and most fulfilled in England," he said.
“When complete, these facilities will help bring the growing community of Whitchurch together and will provide many health, wellbeing and community services under one roof.”
