PLANS to revamp facilities at a health centre are making good progress, residents have been reassured.

Farnworth Health Centre, in Frederick Street, has long been earmarked for an overhaul by the NHS Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Health chiefs told the town’s residents last year that the plans were at the top of their agenda after responsibility for improving the town’s services were passed from NHS England to the CCG.

And they were told the project remains in development at the recent Farnworth Area Forum meeting.

A statement from a CCG spokesman which was read out at the meeting said: “The Farnworth Health Centre project is progressing well with the next step being the need to develop a business case in order to gain access to the £1.5m identified in the capital plans for Bolton.

“This work is well advanced with a detailed analysis being undertaken with the current GPs and tenants to determine their requirements to address current problems and the strategic needs for the future."

As well as improving the centre, chiefs have also been looking at extending the range of services based at Frederick Street.

The statement continued: "In addition, an exercise to determine whether any additional out of hospital services can be located in the health centre is also ongoing.

Architects and health planners have been appointed to undertake the work which will result in the production of an agreed plan to redevelop and enhance the existing building so that it is fit for purpose and meets latest quality and design requirements."

A timescale for the delivery of the plan to NHS England has also been established.

The spokesman added: "The exercise will be completed by the end of November and will be submitted to the Bolton Strategic Estates Group for approval and then on to NHS England in Manchester (Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership).

"The final stage will then be detailed design work culminating in formal approval by July, 2018.

"Work will then commence on the renovations and upgrade in a staged manner to enable the continuation of services during the build.”