Welborne new towns sparks concern over impact on GP surgeries

As previously reported, plans are underway to construct 6,000 homes on a site north of the M27, with work on the multi-million-pound project to start this year.

However, councillors on Winchester City Council have raised concerns that the NHS has not committed to taking on the health facility included in the Welborne design plan.

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Cllr Chris Chamberlain, at a meeting of Winchester City Council, said: “The 6,000-house Welborne development - just south of Wickham and Knowle - has a health facility included as part of its approved design, but it does not yet appear that the NHS has committed to take it on.

Cllr Chris Chamberlain raised concerns over the impact Welborne will have on local surgeries (Image: Contributed)“A recent Freedom of Information request to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board says that Wickham Surgery will be expected to register residents in the first phase of development, covering some 690 homes – even though the surgery, along with the wider Health Service, is already under significant pressure.”

Cllr Jackie Porter, cabinet member for place and local plan, said that the city council is determined that residents have access to the best healthcare possible, land has been provided for a new GP surgery in Winchester and funding has been made available for two new consulting rooms at Bishop’s Waltham.

She also said that she believes the solution to the problem has to lie with Fareham Borough Council.

Cllr Porter said: “All the residents of Welborne will be Fareham borough residents. Fareham Council approved the planning application for the housing and community facilities – including a GP surgery – although, to date, the developer, council and NHS have been unable to agree on how this might be implemented.

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Cllr Jackie Porter said that WCC is determined that residents have access to the best primary healthcare possible (Image: Contributed)

“We believe that the health needs of this community need to be met in Welborne or from Fareham itself – and have made it clear that we are happy to support Fareham Council, the developer and the local NHS to make this happen.

“I have asked Cllr Chris Chamberlain, who is our WCC representative for the Welborne development, to make these concerns known at future Welborne meetings. The Leader has also discussed the issue with Cllr Seán Woodward, the Leader of Fareham Borough Council.

“We will continue dialogue with Fareham and with all relevant parts of the NHS – not just so that residents in the south of our district get the GP services they need – but so that the new residents of Welborne do as well.”