THE new Camelford Health and Wellbeing Hub will be in the same location as the existing medical centre.

At a recent meeting of the Camelford Area Network Panel, town mayor Rob Rotchell, who chaired the meeting, confirmed that the location of the new hub had been agreed, and that it will be developed on the existing medical centre site.

The project was granted £750,000 from NHS England to move forward — an announcement that was fantastic for the town and surrounding villages.

Cllr Rotchell said: “That’s a huge step forward. It’s going to cost way way more than that. I’ve been involved with this project for 12 years. In the last four months we’ve moved forward more than eleven-and-a-half years.”

The hub will be developed at the site of the existing medical centre, accessed through Churchfield car park.

Cllr Rotchell said they will need to purchase the glebeland strip between the medical centre and the church.

Negotiations have begun with the current GPs, as the medical centre is a private business owned by them. Discussions are also taking place with Cornwall Council.

In the first instance, the hub will provide a replacement medical centre and dentistry services, with a dental suite. It is hoped there will also be a pharmacy and a different looking waiting area.

“We’re working with different groups - what do we want? What do we need? We’ve got this money which has to be spent. There’s a sense of urgency. We’re not talking about ten years off,” Cllr Rotchell said.

“It’s really exciting. It’s the closest we’ve been to seeing this become real. This project is unique in Cornwall.”

Sketch plans are expected to emerge within the next few months.