Horwich Health and Wellbeing hub ‘is storm waiting to happen’

Residents turned out to Horwich Leisure Centre to view plans for the three-storey Health and Wellbeing hub, due to be built at the site of the old leisure centre in Victoria Road.

Organisers said the consultation was a chance to update residents and gather feedback ahead of a business case being made, and planning application submitted to Bolton Council.

Horwich resident Sheila Haydock, aged 66, said: “The drawings seem fine except the car parking, which is the bugbear of Horwich. There are already people parking in residential streets just to use the leisure centre. This will bring in dozens more people, including patients and staff, but they will have no where to park. The good thing is that this is bringing two practices together so that all the services will be in one place.”

Parking plans remain the same as initial designs revealed in September 2018, which allow for 173 spaces with a traffic management system to ensure that the car park is only used by those visiting the centre.

AFL Architects have designed the building, which would feature an inner courtyard to maximise natural lighting inside. An in-house pharmacy, community services and treatment rooms would be based on the ground floor. Pike View and Bolton Community Practice are due to be located on the first floor, while day nurses, staff facilities and services currently running out of the Jones Street clinic would be situated on the second floor.

What the Horwich health and wellbeing hub could look like

Cllr Susan Baines, who is responsible for the health and wellbeing portfolio, said: “We are delighted that, at last, there is some action with regard to this building. A lot of residents I have spoken to are very happy it is being built but they do not want it to be on this site. We have had two very serious accidents on Victoria Road in recent weeks and this will increase the volume of traffic.

“We feel there won’t be enough parking. One resident said it is a perfect storm waiting to happen.

“And at the moment, the building is only going to rehouse two GP practices.”

Existing parking outside Horwich Leisure Centre

A 70-year-old resident said: “The plans need to be online to allow residents to digest them and give their feedback. It is not good enough to present it like this and expect people to take it all in.”

Another visitor said: “I am very disappointed at the effort that has been put into this consultation. This is a very important development in Horwich but the meeting has been crammed into a corner.”

Resident Ann McFadden said: “The plans look good so far and it is a convenient location but I would like to see consultants, a physiotherapist and occupational therapist in the new building, as well as fit for purpose equipment and facilities for disabled people.”

Dr Anne Talbot, clinical director at Bolton Community Practice, who is leading the project, said: “We are very very aware of the frustrations that people have with car parking. We are aware of the safety concerns. We have conducted surveys and analysis. We believe a traffic management system will go a long way in aiding the current situation. We are confident with what we have put in place. Over time we will continue to monitor it. We are doing out utmost to take people’s concerns into account.

"Services will be relocated from Jones Street. We think that is a very good thing. The way this building has been designed gives a real opportunity for services to work in a much more collaborative way. It will bring together health staff, the leisure centre, voluntary sector and space available for other services to move out of hospital premises and into the local community.

“The plans are very similar to what has been presented before. This was really an update. Everyone will have opportunity to make comment when we put the application in. All the plans will be available online.”

She added: "We are very excited about this development. We think this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to transform the health and social care of the population of Horwich."

Other concerns were raised over the “loss” of a £6.8million grant which was due to fund the project.

Dr Talbot said that funding issues would be laid out as part of the business case.

A draft Outline Business Case must be approved by Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS England before a planning application can be submitted and the tendering process begins.