Powys County Council has welcomed Welsh Government approval of its Outline Business Case for a new health and wellbeing hub in Newtown.
The decision marks a major milestone for the project and signals strong backing for modern, integrated facilities designed to support people’s health and wellbeing in Powys. It also moves nearly £30m of Welsh Government investment in North Powys a step closer.
Cllr Pete Roberts (Portfolio Holder for a Caring Powys, Powys County Council) welcomed the decision: “This is welcome news for the residents of northern Powys. This means we can move forward with the next stage of the work. Officers will now be looking at all the feedback from the public sessions before Christmas as they develop revised plans that will lead to a planning application. There will be another opportunity for the public to comment on the draft application and I encourage everyone to get involved in the next stage of the work.”
His views were echoed by Chair of Powys Teaching Health Board’, Dr Carl Cooper: “Alongside planning permission, a vital next step is to develop our Full Business Case. We can then begin construction of a fantastic new facility for health and wellbeing services, which is also stepping stone to a next phase which will see an expansion of diagnostic and treatment facilities reducing the need to travel to a District General Hospital.”
The energy efficient, state-of-the-art hub is a joint scheme by Powys Teaching Health Board and Powys County Council, working with Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations and wider partners. It will offer:
- Expanded NHS community dental provision.
- Local primary care services including specialist clinics for people with long term conditions.
- A new training centre to help more people develop careers in health and social care.
- A new home for the Newtown Integrated Family Centre with a courtyard specifically designed for young children and their parents.
- A new home for the town’s public library along with a new academic library to support those studying at the training centre.
- A new home for health board’s children’s services team (including staff such as health visitors).
- A new home for the health board’s mental health teams for children, young people and adults including a sensory garden within a second courtyard.
- Multi-use rooms to enable a variety of clinical and wellbeing support sessions (such as financial advice or yoga or singing for health session) including delivery from voluntary groups and other public sector partners.
The hub is also a vital stepping stone to a future second phase which would see the services provided at the town’s Montgomery County Infirmary move to the town centre location, plus expanded diagnostic and treatment facilities so that more care and treatment is provided within Powys reducing the need to travel to a District General Hospital.
County council plans for a new building for Ysgol Calon y Dderwen on the wider campus are also progressing alongside this work.
The next stage will include seeking community views on detailed plans for the building ahead of submitting a planning application later this year. Subject to planning approval and Welsh Government approval of the Full Business Case, the hub could be open to the public in 2028/29.
