Historic Fordingbridge building is former workhouse
10:30am Thursday 9th February 2012 in
- Skip social links
- Comments(0)
PLANS to sell off historic Fordingbridge Hospital and move services into new buildings have been branded “crazy” and “wrong” by conservationists.
The SHIP PCT (Southampton Hampshire Isle of Wight Portsmouth Primary Care Trust) has submitted an application to New Forest District
Council to develop its Bartons Road site in a bid to save money and improve services.
If the extensions at Bartons Road are approved, the PCT would then sell off the old |hospital building, which is a Grade II listed former workhouse, for about £1million.
But conservationists in the town fear developers may leave the building to deteriorate if the costs of converting a listed |building proved too high to make a profit.
The red brick building is |currently partly empty and only houses the mental health team, |X-ray facilities and a kitchen.
If planning permission is granted the building would be offered to NHS groups or the local |authorities for first refusal.
If the offer is not taken up after six months it would be sold on the open market with the money |reinvested in NHS services.
But the president of the Fordingbridge Society, Edgar Moss, told the Forest Journal the group would be meeting this week to find a way to challenge the plans.
He said: “What is a developer going to do with it?
“It is a Grade II listed building. The building inside is perfectly good enough for NHS services.
“If the building is sold, my fear is that a developer will leave it to deteriorate and eventually, because it had been left to rot, no-one will care if it is demolished.
“This is what happens to old buildings. It is all wrong.
“The result of this would mean a huge loss to the town.
“While we have 70 listed buildings in Fordingbridge, the old |workhouse is the most spectacular. The whole thing is crazy.”
The proposals include two single storey side and rear extensions to the Ford Ward building, a |conservatory style porch, a new medical centre building and car parking alterations.
Inger Hebden, director of capital planning for SHIP PCT, said: “The former workhouse building and pavilions are no longer required or appropriate to provide patient care and are under-utilised or
empty. “The remaining services in these buildings will therefore be re-provided in more functional, higher quality accommodation on site.
“This will allow for the workhouse and pavilions to be declared surplus. This will enable us to target investment in the infrastructure required for the future provision of health services
including two small extensions and a new boiler system. This solution improves the quality, safety and suitability of the environment for patients, visitors and staff to the hospital.
“As the workhouse and pavilions are listed they will of course remain but they may be owned by someone else in the future to ensure they have the investment needed to maintain the buildings.”
The planned extension of the Ford Ward will incorporate kitchen facilities, including the meals on wheels service, and the community mental health teams will be moved to other rooms on site.
The X-ray service will relocate to the Arches building at the back of the site. The PCT hope services will be relocated by the end of the year.
A spokesman for New Forest District Council said: “Comments from the conservation and design officer are still awaited and the application will be looked at in detail. Comments from the public are
invited by March 2.”
Comment now! Register or sign in below.
Or