Just what the doctor ordered – a new home for Rochdale surgery

A busy doctor’s surgery in Rochdale hopes to relocate

A busy doctor’s surgery in Rochdale hopes to relocate to a purpose-built building helping to improve services for patients and regenerate the Oldham Road canal-side area.

A planning application has been submitted to Rochdale Borough Council for the development of new premises for the Wellfield Surgery.

It has outgrown its current location and is increasingly not fit for purpose. There is a lack of parking at the current site causing traffic concerns for local residents, businesses and patients.

The Wellfield Surgery will move to a new site on the opposite side of Oldham Road, allowing the existing surgery to continue to operate whilst the new facility is built.

The new building would help the surgery to increase the number of doctors and nurses to speed up patient appointments and would also include a minor operations surgery, pharmacy, a children’s play area and a small café in the glass-fronted reception.

The surgery would have a dedicated car park for staff with additional public spaces.

Rochdale Development Agency has been advising the surgery and their architects on the relocation which will enable the existing surgery to be demolished and eventually redeveloped to attract further investment to improve the Oldham Road gateway frontage and wider canal basin area.

Dr. Stephen Crook of the Wellfield Surgery said: “We are very excited about the prospect of relocating as we have been at this site for over sixty years and are now almost bursting at the seams.

The plans that have been drawn up are modern but sympathetic to the local area and the mills nearby using glass and natural brickwork.

“The new building would provide a much more comfortable experience for our patients.”

John Hudson, Chief Executive of Rochdale Development Agency said: “We have been working closely with the Wellfield Sugery for a number of years and we have always seen the development of health provision as important to our regeneration plans for the Oldham Road area.

“We are delighted to have been able to find a suitable site for the new surgery and other development proposals will follow.”

If the planning application is approved, the new 1,265 m2 surgery could be ready by autumn next year. A decision is expected to be made by the end of June.