Land to be sold for new community diagnostic centre

Plans to turn land on a town's industrial estate into a new medical centre have been approved.

The proposals would see an undeveloped site owned by North Northamptonshire Council on the Park Farm Industrial Estate in Wellingborough turned into a community diagnostic centre and elective orthopaedic hub for the county.

The new centre, which would be off Booth Drive, is due to open in 2028.

Reform UK councillor Brian Benneyworth, executive member for health, said: "The facility will provide faster access to diagnostic tests, reduce waiting times for treatment and support early diagnosis of serious conditions, and it will help improve outcomes for patients across our communities."

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said the site was deemed "surplus" by the council earlier this year and was a similar travelling distance between Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals.

Within the plans, the new diagnostic centre would operate for 12 hours a day, seven days a week and deliver more than 50,000 tests per year.

According to documents, the centre would include endoscopy suites, MRI and CT scanners, a plain X-ray room, an ultrasound room and additional consulting rooms.

Routine procedures, including hip and knee procedures, would be expected to be carried out at the elective orthopaedic hub and would support shorter waits for surgery - with fewer last-minute cancellations.

However, during an executive meeting on Tuesday, some councillors raised concerns about the accessibility of the site for people who rely on public transport.

James Towns, Green Party councillor, said there was no weekday bus service directly to the site other than during rush hour periods, leaving patients with a walk of up to 15 minutes.

He said: "If a diagnostic centre is to be built on this site and provide care close to home in an accessible location for the community, it needs to be provided with a good, frequent bus service."

While Conservative councillor Taylor Cowley-Coulton said the centre would be an "amazing opportunity" for the county, he also raised concerns over transport.

He said: "Patients do not conveniently arrange their illnesses around morning and evening rush hour.

"These are not reasons to reject the disposal; they're reasons to get the infrastructure right now rather than discovering a problem after millions of pounds have been spent."

Responding to the concerns, executive highways member Reform UK councillor Chris McGiffen said he would commit to reviewing bus provision for the site.

The sale of the site is expected to generate a capital receipt for the council of more than £1m.

It was "unanimously" approved during the meeting and the NHS will now apply for planning permission.

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