Committee U-turn leads to go-ahead for life centre

Inverurie’s £11m Health unit receives backing second time around

By Emma Christie

Published:

A committee accused of showing a “lack of vision” last year after throwing out plans for an £11million health facility at Inverurie yesterday took a U-turn and approved the proposals.

After almost two hours of lively debate, councillors on the Garioch area committee agreed to grant planning permission for the Garioch Life Centre at Inverurie.

The controversial application attracted more than 1,600 letters in favour and around 200 in opposition.

Last night Ian Tannock, a director with developer Carden Medical Investments, said he was “delighted”, but still surprised Aberdeenshire councillors had rejected the plans when they first went before them in September.

He added: “We felt it should have gone through last time. At the end of the day 1,600 people have taken the time to write in and say they support it.” He said he hoped work could begin on the site by autumn, and predicted building work could take up to two years.

The centre will be built outside Inverurie town centre on a site bordered by Victoria Street and Westfield Road. In addition to the medical facilities, which will take up 45% of the total 74,000sq ft space, services will include a dental surgery and occupational therapy. There will also be a shops, offices and a cafe.

Council planners backed the application, saying it would cater for rising patient numbers in the town, currently around 20,000. The existing health centre, built in 1972, was intended for 12,500 patients.

The debate at yesterday’s meeting was long and complex, but a final vote on whether to approve the project or defer it for a public hearing finished 9-4 in favour of approval.

Ron McKail, councillor for Westhill and district, said it was time to “stop talking and get building”.

Last night Dr David Hood, a GP at Inverurie for 25 years, said he was delighted and relieved by the decision.

North East Labour MSP Richard Baker welcomed the decision and said the centre was vital. “The key issue is to ensure that there is the right level of health care provision in Inverurie, which is a much-expanding town. It’s meeting a need and in that sense it’s necessary,” he said.

Aberdeenshire Council must now notify all objectors of the decision to see if they wish to lodge any further concerns. If the authority still wishes to approve, it will be passed to Scottish ministers for the final say because the council is a landowner in the application.