New healthcare centre in Gloucester finally gets planning permission

A new healthcare centre for Kingsway on the outskirts of Gloucester has made a major step forward after planning permission was granted by Gloucester City Council.

Rosebank Health has an agreement to buy the brownfield site south of Rudloe Drive from developers Robert Hitchins Ltd and proposes to build an 11,668  sq ft state-of-the-art healthcare centre to serve thousands of patients.

Building is set to begin this year and will bring a significant piece of the Kingsway infrastructure to fruition.

Senior Development Manager for Robert Hitchins Ltd, Michael Plimmer, said he was pleased that the health centre was finally becoming a reality.

“We have worked hard with Rosebank, the NHS and Gloucester City Council’s planning  officers and we are delighted that this facility for the Kingsway community is now coming forward,” he said.

Rosebank Health currently has two surgeries: Rosebank in Stroud Road, and Severnvale in St James, Quedgeley. There are seven GPs and more than 65 clinical and support staff.

The new two-storey, timber-clad centre, due to open in autumn 2018, will include ten consulting rooms, training and meeting rooms, an on-site pharmacy and car parking. It will cater for around 13,000 patients, estimated to rise to 30,000 in the next few years.

Practice Manager of Rosebank Health, Wyndham Parry, said: “With several new housing developments anticipated in the area over the next few years and a growing population, the new surgery will be ideally located to provide primary care services for years to come.

“Our ambition is to create an attractive, light and airy building which will be welcoming to both patients and staff.”

Kingsway forms part of the former airfield at Quedgeley which received planning permission in 2003 for 3,300 homes, a 40-acre employment site, community and leisure facilities, retail, sports area and primary school.

More than 2,500 homes have been built since 2003, along with a local centre, primary school and a community centre.