Plans for Harpenden Memorial Hopsital site: a 'very encouraging development' for the town

At the meeting which took place on February 25, chief executive of Hertfordshire Community NHS trust, David Law, emphasised that new buildings were just part of the outline plans for the proposed ‘health and wellbeing campus’ in Carlton Road.

He added that because of its age and functional unsuitability, the historic Red House building could not be part of the development.

Mr Law said the intention was for it to be sold, together with other ‘surplus land’ on the site in order to generate much of the funding required to set up the new health and wellbeing centre.

He stressed that none of the surplus land would be sold for housing development, though a care home for the elderly was a distinct possibility.

Outline approval has been given by the Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust board for the scheme to go ahead, though Mr Law cautioned that an administratively lengthy process lay ahead before building work could begin.

Planning consent had to be obtained from St Albans District Council and a ‘preferred bidder’ selected from contending development companies.

A target date of April 2019 has been set for the opening of the new campus.

Answering a question from the audience as to how confident he was that the timescale target would be met, Mr Law said that, as someone with a ‘half full’ rather than a ‘half empty’ disposition, he put his confidence level on the projected timescale at 90 per cent.

He made clear that a wide range of illness-prevention as well as direct health services would be available at the centre, notably advisory services intended to help residents of Harpenden maintain a healthy lifestyle, in turn helping reduce pressure on already-stretched hospitals in the area.

Ron Taylor, a member of The Harpenden Society, said: "The proposal outlined by David Law is a very encouraging development for the residents of Harpenden who could have access to a brand new health facility in just a few more years."