5:28pm Monday 12th May 2008
By Chris Gee
A £19M plan to develop state-of-the art health, leisure and fitness facilities on one site in Blackpool were unveiled today.
Heralded as a first for the town, the innovative proposals for Moor Park in Bispham are intended to radically improve health and well-being for the area.
A purpose built Primary Care Centre which will provide patients with modern health services in the heart of the community are part of the plans which will be built on three acres of parkland.
Chief Executive of Blackpool Primary Care Trust, Wendy Swift described the plans as "fantastic news for the town."
She said: "This is a very exciting development for Bispham. It will be the first site integrating health and leisure in Blackpool, offering community-based healthcare services alongside swimming and leisure facilities and a library.
"The Primary Care Centre will have excellent facilities that will enable us to deliver easily accessible, local health services. These will not only help us to diagnose early but also to help prevent illness occurring. "
The proposals have the whole-hearted support of local GPs.
Dr Steve Parr-Burman, of North Shore Surgery said: "We have worked extremely closely with the Primary Care Trust, Council, the developers and the architects to get these plans right. There is firm GP commitment to these proposals, especially in terms of patient experience and design of space.
"The enormous benefits of having health care provision next to leisure services cannot be over emphasised. This offers tremendous opportunities for rehabilitation, exercise on prescription, sports medicine and preventing illness as well as closer partnership working in the future.
"Access to this centre for the people of Bispham would be excellent.
"Everyone who has been involved in the proposals has been working with one goal in mind: To deliver a health service fit for the 21st century. This news means we are now closer to achieving that. "
At Devonshire Road Surgery, Dr. Simon Shearer, said: "These plans could completely change the way healthcare is delivered in the local community and provide outstanding facilities for local patients.
"Continued and sustained partnership working between Blackpool Council, the Primary Care Trust and GPs has enabled us to reach this point which marks a very exciting time ahead."
Alongside the Primary Care Centre would be high quality fitness facilities including: - A sports hall the size of four badminton courts - High quality, 40-station gym offering personal fitness assessments and programmes - Multi-purpose activity room offering badminton, table tennis, aerobics, and basketball.
The large modern library, with extended opening hours, would offer improved and extended choice of books and reading materials, access to an extensive range of computers and zoned areas for teenagers and young children.
The Masterplan for the Green Space development includes a new children's playground a floodlit, multi-use games area landscaped gardens with ecological features, upgraded pathways and park furniture The proposals also incorporate the existing swimming pool.
Councillor Tony Williams, cabinet member for culture and communities said: "The council is very excited about this project. It is great news for Blackpool and excellent use of land. Co-locating community facilities in this way makes life easier and more convenient for local residents. It has also been designed to improve the health of the local community.
"Many of the Council's leisure activities already link to developing healthier lifestyles. The fact that a brand new leisure centre will sit alongside local family doctors means that referrals will be much, much easier.
"But leisure doesn't necessarily mean gym workouts. A green space masterplan will ensure that the area surrounding the centre will include a whole host of high quality benefits such as a much better playground for children, a large multi-use games area for young people and measured walks either for a stroll or a brisk walk to get your heart rate up and plenty of new park benches."
Moving the library from Bispham would double its size enabling a much larger number of books and more computers for public use.
The new modern library would be open seven days a week with much improved car parking and it is hoped that the old library will be put to good use as a music centre for children and young people.
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