Councillors consider care centre plans

COUNCILLORS are set to consider two plans for Primary Care Centres in Oldham tonight (WED).

Community 1st Oldham Ltd has lodged plans for the two health facilities in Shaw and Werneth.

The first application is for land at High Street/Westway, Shaw, and the second centre is planned for land at Alfred Street/Featherstall Road South, Werneth.

The Shaw site is currently occupied by car parking, an electricity substation, the lifelong Learning Centre and pockets of landscaping and open space.

Some of the services coming together in the new building will be GP practices, dental facilities, extended primary care facilities which include treatment, consulting and counselling rooms and a pharmacy.

Existing services from Crompton Health Centre are expected to relocate to the new site.

The proposal includes relocation of a substation to front Westway and parking for seven vehicles, accessed directly off High Street.

The Shaw and Crompton Parish Council has been consulted over the plans and although it has acknowledged that the scheme would assist the regeneration of the area, it pointed out that the parking issues must be addressed.

The planning report adds: “In addition to spaces for staff and visitors to the centre — a minimum of 21 spaces should be made publicly available at all times, free of charge and run in similar fashion to the existing public car parks in Shaw.”

Facilities will be provided on three levels and the proposed hours of opening will be between 6am-11pm, including Sundays and Bank Holidays.

The Werneth site, which is close to the derelict St John’s Church, will similarly feature surgery practices, many from converted Victorian premises, which have outlived their usefulness.

Accommodation will be provided for GP practices, nursing and dental facilities, as well as a pharmacy and extended primary care services.

The building will include four levels, though from the south it will appear as a single storey building. It will have the same opening hours as the Shaw Primary Care Centre.

The Traffic Section have been consulted and proposed that 22 car parking spaces are provided for staff and 34 for visitors.

So far, there have been no objections to the plans from the local community.

They are recommended for approval at tonight’s Oldham Planning Committee at the Civic Centre, at 6pm.