Millcross supermarket site at Clevedon to be demolished
By Prue_Reid | Tuesday, January 29, 2013, 16:40
THE redundant supermarket site – once earmarked for a new £15 million hospital for Clevedon – is to be demolished.
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This was how the site should have looked if the new community had gone ahead
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On Monday the old supermarket will be demolished but what is coming in its place?
NHS North Somerset has confirmed that work to demolish the former Kwik Save supermarket at Millcross is to start on Monday, February 4.
The site, which was purchased by North Somerset PCT for £1.5 million for the new hospital has become a target for thieves and vandals during the past year.
The project will involve demolishing all the buildings on the site and cost NHS North Somerset around £45,000.
Work is expected to take approximately four weeks to complete and will save NHS North Somerset £54,000 in annual maintenance and security costs.
The site will remain enclosed by hoarding during and after demolition and NHS North Somerset will continue to maintain the green space and trees around the site as well as retaining security patrols to look after it.
The future of the site has been in question following a decision by NHS chiefs in the summer to abandon plans for a new hospital on the site on the basis it was no longer financially viable.
It had been hoped that the hospital would have opened in 2014. NHS North Somerset is now considering the different options open to them for providing health services in the district.
Future plans for the site have yet to be decided.
NHS North Somerset project director Ben Bennett said: "Although we have yet to formally decide on the future of the Millcross site, the demolition of the now derelict Kwik Save building is a sensible option regardless of the future use of the site as it will reduce costs and improve the security of the site."
The current cottage hospital at Old Street, which was built in 1874, has 18 beds as well as an accident and emergency department.
Plans for the new hospital had included a 24 bed inpatient unit on the first floor, a counselling suite, administration block and therapy unit and garden.
PCT chiefs now plan to focus their efforts on improving the current cottage hospital, carrying out general maintenance to the building and upgrading equipment.
The CCG and PCT plan to work with a number of groups, including GPs, local residents, North Somerset Community Partnership and Clevedon Hospital League of friends to consider options and shape future proposals for Clevedon Community Hospital.
Meanwhile the services currently provided on the site will remain.
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