Ilford GP building may be knocked down for new homes

NHS Property Services last month submitted plans to Redbridge Council to demolish Heathcote Primary Care Centre in Ilford and build eight new homes, none of which will be affordable.

Due to “significant issues” within the building, the practice has already relocated to “vacant space" in Kenwood Gardens Health Centre earlier this year.

A letter from the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) explained its long-term plan will replace local practices with “integrated health facilities”, serving at least 10,000 patients each.

The letter, from NHS associate director of estates Tim Madelin, reads: “The longer term plan is for all practices… at Kenwood Gardens to relocate to the community hub at Gants Hill.

“With the services provided elsewhere within the borough there will be no further healthcare need from the Heathcote Avenue site either immediately or in the longer term.”

From the archive: Gants Hill community hub plans bring controversy

The Gants Hill community hub, which will be built on the current library site in Cranbrook Road, Ilford, is still in early stages, with no formal planning application submitted.

However, the idea of creating a number of large hubs to house numerous resident services in one place was first publicly discussed by the council’s leadership at a meeting in 2018.

The housing intended to replace the Heathcote Primary Care Centre would be four storeys at its tallest point.

The money from selling the new homes would be reinvested back into the NHS, according to the application, with half of the money used locally in north east London.

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