Contracts signed on new £13m health centre

CONTRACTS have been signed on a new £13m health centre in Birmingham.

Prime, the specialist Worcester-based community buildings constructor, is working alongside various public sector bodies including NHS South Birmingham to deliver the Attwood Green Health Centre.

It will eventually replace the Colston Health Centre, in Bath Row, in the Edgbaston area of the city.

The six-storey building, which will be located only 200 yards away from its predecessor, will be over 4,500 sq m and bring together various health services.

It was designed by healthcare specialists One Creative Environments and will contribute to the redevelopment of Bath Row, part of the £260m Park Central regeneration programme aiming to transform that area of Birmingham.

Two GP practices, a dental practice, pharmacy, physiotherapist, language therapists and various other health services will all relocate to the centre.

Currently serving a patient population of around 13,000, the centre is being developed to support the growing population in the community with the potential to serve around 16,000 people.

Building work is expected to start next month with completion expected in winter 2011.

• Elsewhere, a major sports development in north Staffordshire being built by Rugby-based construction company Morgan Sindall has been handed a £400,000 cash boost. Work on the Health and Wellbeing Centre, in Newcastle, was kicked off by Olympic runner David Moorcroft last month and its coffers have now been given a lift by the Sport England cash injection. Construction workers are currently preparing the ground for building.