By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
There are concerns a former Co-op supermarket earmarked for a new £7.5m super GP surgery has become an “eyesore covered in graffiti” after delays to its redevelopment.
Health bosses are planning to relocate Severnbank Surgery and Lydney Health Centre to the former store site in Newerne Street in Lydney.
The new health centre would provide a range of GP and other services for around 15,000 patients and with expansion for a further 4,000 if needed.
NHS Gloucestershire’s Primary Care and Direct Commissioning Committee granted funding last year for the new centre.
Health chiefs said at the time that construction would start at the site early this year and the surgery could be operational by spring 2026.
Plans are for the building to be extensively redeveloped while making use of the existing Co-op structure.
The practices would remain wholly separate entities, occupying separate parts of the building with their own self-contained clinical and administration spaces, but sharing some common areas.
But County Councillor Alan Preest (C, Lydney) raised concerns at a recent health overview and scrutiny committee over delays to the project which will now see construction pushed back until the end of the year.
He asked health bosses for an update and said there is concern in the Severnside town that the building has become an eyesore “covered in graffiti”.
Cllr Preest said councillors were given a briefing in February last year which suggested building work would start in early 2025 with the site opening in 2026.
But he said in November he was told health chiefs anticipate building works will not start until some time between October and December 2025.
“The building would then open around 12 months later,” he told the meeting at Shire Hall on January 28.
“I’m sure you’ll agree with me that between October and December is not the early part of 2025. I really want to know why the delay.
“The building is deteriorating and becoming an eyesore.
“Graffiti abodes it all around. Regardless of the new primary facility in Cinderford, the people of Lydney are still very sore about the loss of Lydney hospital.
“So what sort of definitive explanation can be given for this further delay?”
NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board Chief Executive Mary Hutton said the development partner is working through the process.
“We are working very closely with the development partner which is Asure Plc and they are identifying to us that there are no issues.
“They are working through the finalisation of the investment arrangements in February 2025.
“Planning approval is next, then purchase of the building and building work will start between October and December 2025.”