Plans for a new multi-million-pound health centre, which would serve thousands of patients across Aberdeen, have been hailed by a senior councillor.
Barney Crockett, health board member and former Aberdeen City Council leader, said the new £7.6million Foresterhill Centre would maintain “a premiership lead in the city” for health care.
NHS Grampian has released images of the centre which has been granted conditional planning permission by Aberdeen City Council.
The three-storey development will cater for more than 15,000 patients and work is expected to begin later this year, with an estimated completion date in 2017.
The new centre will include two general practices and a pharmacy, in addition to offering speech and language services, community nursing and dietetics, community nursing and health visiting.
Mr Crockett said: “I think it’s a key part of improving provision for the area and I think it continues a great history of GP presence at Foresterhill.”
The scheme’s director Stan Mathieson added: “This is another positive step forward for the project which will allow us to begin the formal design development.
“The new health centre will offer first-class facilities and construction is expected to begin in autumn. That is good news and I am sure it will be welcomed by both patients and staff.”
Conditional planning permission for the project was granted last month. But construction of the centre will only start once a number of conditions have been met, including the need for parking plans, as well as cycle and walking routes to be submitted.
Foresterhill Health Centre is part of NHS Grampian’s £300 million investment in new and upgraded facilities which will be created over the next five years in the north-east.
At least 10 new buildings are planned for the site during that period, including the Baird Family Hospital, the Anchor Centre for people with cancer and blood disorders, a multi-storey car park and a new life sciences centre to be shared with Aberdeen University.