after receiving go ahead by Wandsworth Teaching PCT Board

The redevelopment of the Putney Hospital site into a modern primary care centre was given the go ahead yesterday at Wandsworth Teaching PCT’s Board meeting.

The plans, which were presented in November to over 200 local residents at a public meeting, were agreed and the project team will now start work on the planning application. The Board members agreed with the project team that option A is the preferred option as it will mean the centre opens six months earlier, will be built on the same site as the former hospital and carries a lot less risk than option B. Option B involved building the new centre on an alternative site on Putney common.

The project team will continue to meet with Wandsworth Council planners, stakeholders, local residents, the Government Office for London and the Greater London Authority over the coming months to put together the planning application which will be submitted in May 2006. The project team hope to gain planning approval by August 2006. Following planning approval, access rights to the site need to be resolved with Wimbledon & Putney Common Conservators by way of either an easement or a Compulsory Purchase Order. The new centre will be up and running by early 2009.

The new primary care centre, which is going to be built on the site of the former hospital, would include GP surgeries, a pharmacy, physiotherapy, chiropody, health visiting, district nursing and a wide variety of other services for the local community.

January 27, 2006