Plans submitted for health and care centre on former B&M/Dunelm site in Boston, including new home for GP surgery

The submission for the ‘Boston Integrated Health and Care Centre’ (IHCC) has been made to Boston Borough Council by NHS Lincolnshire ICB (Integrated Care Board), the organisation responsible for planning health services in Lincolnshire.

Under the plans, the three-storey building would provide a base for multiple services, including: GP services through a relocated Liquorpond Street Surgery, community dental services, sexual health services, shared clinical spaces, mental health services, a pharmacy, and a library.

A spokesman for NHS Lincolnshire ICB said: “A new, purpose built IHCC in Boston would mean the build of a well-designed facility offering multiple services focused on supporting population health management and improving the local population’s health and wellbeing.

“In particular, an IHCC would enable focus on out of hospital care, prevention, and early intervention, supporting not only health needs but also the health inequalities of the local population. It would also allow for the re-provision of a GP Practice whose building is currently not fit for purpose.

“In addition, we are working with Lincolnshire County Council to look at potentially incorporating a library within the scheme, therefore, the design reflects this. The proposed IHCC also includes provision for a new pharmacy.”

Continuing, they said: “It is important to note that, at the current time, we do not have funding to build an IHCC. However, we have had funding to develop an Outline Business Case (OBC) that sets out our preliminary thoughts on the IHCC.

“Whilst it is unusual to apply for planning permission at the OBC stage, there are advantages to doing so not least of which is it gives us more design and cost certainty as we explore the funding opportunities to develop an IHCC for Boston communities. The project team overseeing the planning application is actively exploring funding options and working with regional and national NHS teams.

“Furthermore, should funding to build an IHCC become available, we would have an ‘oven-ready’ scheme that provides cost certainty for a particular design of IHCC, enabling us to move forward with pace.”

A spokesman for Lincolnshire County Council said the authority was ‘exploring options for the location of the library in Boston as the lease nears its end’.

They said if it did take on a space in the IHCC, it would be a re-location, rather than an expansion.

They stressed though that ‘no decision’ has been made yet on ‘if or where the library would move’.

The former B&M/Dunelm building was demolished earlier this year as part of multi-million pound plans from the council to redevelop the area.

Plans include: new artwork, outdoor social spaces, a sensory garden designed for quiet contemplation and reflection, an amphitheatre-style seating area, and a new entrance/drop-off area for the Len Medlock Voluntary Centre.

At the site of Crown House, also now demolished, a new mixed-use building is to be created. This will feature retail units on the ground floor and apartments on the second and third floor.