Tony Blair opens Platt Bridge
Health Centre in Wigan
19 April 2007
Prime Minister Tony Blair has officially opened the new Platt Bridge Health Centre in Wigan.
Designed by architectural practice Nightingale Associates, it is hoped that the scheme will be the catalyst to the redevelopment of this disadvantaged part of Wigan. With a cost of £6m, the scheme took 52 weeks to build and will house three GP practices to replace the existing poor premises.
The building is part of the ongoing LIFT initiative in Wigan, Britain 's biggest-ever project to improve frontline primary health and social care facilities and services. In addition to the three GP practices, the building will accommodate a physiotherapy suite and a hydrotherapy pool suite. The centre will also provide paediatric clinical services, community health services, an audiology suite, a minor operations department as well as treatment rooms for district nurses and podiatry. Sharing the site with the new Health centre will be a school, library and Sure Start facility
Nightingale Associates developed the scheme from the production of the schedule of accommodation and healthcare planning through to practical completion. The design and build contractor for the project was Eric Wright Construction from Preston, a company which has successfully built six LIFT buildings in the Wigan area with Nightingale Associates. Eric Wright Construction is also working with Nightingale Associates on East Lancashire LIFT and BRAHMS LIFT.
The Prime Minister praised the building’s “clever use of light and space”, and its wonderful design”, calling it an “incredible facility” and commenting “It’s one of the most wonderful things I have ever seen and it is a pleasure to open it.”
Commenting on the new building, project architect Neil Speakman of Nightingale Associates said, “We’ve been extremely lucky to be given the opportunity to design this landmark building, and hopefully we have helped deliver a worthy facility for the provision of primary healthcare in this area. The initial feedback from the local community and the staff who will be working here, is extremely positive and having the Prime Minister officially open the building underlines the important positive effect it is expected to have on the area”.
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