Plans for health and wellbeing campus could bring diagnostics and day surgery to Newtown

It could bring diagnostics and a day surgery to the town for the first time although those behind the scheme say it could be 2026 before the campus is operational.

The North Powys Wellbeing Programme is a multi-organisational project with Powys County Council, Powys Teaching Health Board, PAVO and other key partners.

Powys County Council’s Cabinet and Powys Teaching Health Board will debate the plans on March 8 before they are submitted to Welsh Government later in the year. Powys Teaching Health Board will also consider the case on March 30.

The programme has developed early ideas for the site including a replacement school for Ysgol Calon y Dderwen, health and social care facilities, a Health and Care Academy, short term supported housing, library and information facilities as well as shared community space.

The provision of a small amount of accommodation for students attending the academy, new recruits to health and care jobs as well as locum health specialists is also being considered.

Proposals also include bringing enhanced diagnostic services to Newtown for the first time – together with day surgery - as the town’s health services integrate from several locations including the current hospital, Ynys y Plant, Bro Hafren and the Old College.

Ali Bulman Powys council’s director of Social Services said: “It’s important that people realise that we’ve got a long way to go to develop our plans and this is our current thinking on how the campus could be organised.”

“My colleagues in the Transforming Education team are currently working with Ysgol Calon y Dderwen along with staff from Heart of Wales Property Services, and are preparing early designs for the new school building, to ensure that this exciting development will improve learner experiences for pupils attending the school in the future."

The school could open in 2025 with, funding permitting the remainder of the campus open the following year.

Hayley Thomas the health board’s Deputy Chief Executive said: “Our programme team, working with clinicians and professionals has also been doing a lot of planning work to see what kind of health and care provision could be provided on the campus. We think we would have enough demand to support enhanced diagnostics and day case procedures on the site which would be a tremendous benefit to those people who have to travel outside north Powys currently to access such services.”

All new buildings would be energy efficient, incorporating facilities for cyclists as well as carrying out a range of environmental surveys.