Consulting on health centre

Residents are being urged to make their feelings known about the desperate need for a new health centre in Bingham.

The Nottinghamshire County Councillor for Bingham, Mr Martin Suthers, said it was vital people contacted Nottinghamshire County Primary Care Trust to ensure the town remained at the top of the list for a new health centre.

A formal consultation period has started that covers what services would be provided and includes a review of the three potential sites — a portion of land at Warner’s Paddock, land off Mill Hill Road or land east of Tythby Road.

It is claimed a new health centre is needed in the town as the current one is out of date and struggling to cope with Bingham’s growing population.

The centre is due to be completed by the end of 2010.

In May, the Advertiser revealed a new centre for Bingham came out as one of four top projects following a countywide review by the trust.

The building would be built by the public-private partnership Greater Nottingham Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) and leased to the health centre.

Mr John Hawton, of Lift, said the consultation period was due to finish at the end of November and will target groups like Bingham Town Council, which has been in regular discussions with the trust since the start of the project.

It also wants to speak to community groups, including Bingham’s pressure group, Community Concern, which has been campaigning for a new health centre.

Public meetings are expected to be held in the town, but dates have yet to be announced.

Mr Suthers said he was aware there had been a great deal of public opposition against using Warner’s Paddock as a site.

Mr Gary Porter of Woodpecker Close, Bingham, is leading a campaign to fight any plans to develop on the site.

More than 500 people have so far signed his petition.

But Mr Suthers said: “We should not be distracted by where it should go but make sure we get it in the first place.

“We have got to ensure Bingham is a top priority.”

He said over the years the project had suffered several setbacks and that is why it is more important than ever the pressure was kept up.

Last year it emerged the £41/2m project had a shortfall of £700,000 to build it on its current site at Eaton Place because it would mean the rebuilding of the library.

An outline business case is due next March, with the final business case announced in a year.