New medical centre approved in Preston

A new medical centre is set to be built in Preston, becoming the new base for an established GP surgery whose patient numbers are surging by 20 percent each year.

Preston City Council’s planning committee has given the go-ahead to the new, two-storey facility on St. Paul’s Road in Deepdale.   It will house the practice operated by Dr. Rashid Ali – known as the Guttridge Medical Centre – which will relocate from nearby Deepdale Road.

The development – which will also include a pharmacy – will take place on land that was once part of the Preston Bus depot and was mostly recently occupied by the city council’s environment directorate.

Plans submitted back in March suggested that the existing two-floor main building on the plot would be refurbished to accommodate the new NHS service.

However, the planning committee heard that a brand new building would be created, because the current one was “tired…old [and] and totally and utterly unsuitable”.

That was the assessment of Alban Cassidy whose Cassidy + Ashton planning and architectural firm is helping to facilitate the project.

The Guttridge Medical Centre says that its current home is at capacity and that the current 4,000-strong patient list is increasing annually by around a fifth.   It is expected that the new facility will be able to accommodate an extra 3,000 patients.

Seven public objections were lodged to the proposals, with concerns including the potential for the medical centre to put pressure on parking in the area.

Committee member Cllr Phil Crowe echoed fears that the 22-space car park – 14 of which will be for patients, five for staff and three disabled bays – would be insufficient.

“It’s a hellish congested area around there,” he said.

However, Lancashire County Council highways officers had not objected to the plans and Mr. Cassidy noted that the building was in an area “highly accessible” by public transport.

The planning application for the scheme stated that the location – to the rear of the part of the bus depot that remains in operation – has been chosen because it is “well located for existing patients to access…being within walking distance and with good public transport links”.

Services on offer at the site will include podiatry, midwife, district nurse and physiotherapy facilities, as well as those offered by the GP, pharmacist and healthcare assistant.

According to a report presented to committee members, the building will feature four treatment rooms and six consulting rooms.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service approached the Guttridge Medical Centre for comment on the committee’s decision and details of when the new building is expected to be completed.