A NEW £19 million state-of-the-art health centre at Queens Quay in Clydebank has taken a step further with the lodging of a planning application for the building.

Clydeside Regeneration Limited (CRL) has announced a planning application has been submitted for the health centre which is one of the most vital components of the £250m regeneration project on the site of the former John Brown’s shipyard in Clydebank.

Operated by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, the new Clydebank Health and Care Centre will provide services for approximately 50,000 residents in the area.

The building will support integrated health and care services and will allow staff currently operating from dispersed locations to work together in a new high-specification facility.

Extending to around 62,400 sq ft over three levels, the building was designed by architect Anderson, Bell and Christie with Hub West Scotland acting as development partner. It represents an investment of approximately £19m by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in partnership with West Dunbartonshire Council.

Construction of the health centre will commence as soon as planning permission is granted and on completion of the contractor tender process.

Currently on site, civil engineering company George Leslie Ltd is carrying out all required marine works associated with the basin and river frontage, including improving the condition of the existing structure in order to meet the design life target for all structures within the project.

The Queens Quay site is owned by Clydeside Regeneration Limited (CRL) with West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC) providing significant funding. Dawn Urban Regeneration Ltd is CRL’s development partner.

Queens Quay is being created at the former John Brown’s yard which was once famous for being the yard where the Queen Elizabeth, QE2 and Queen Mary ships were built. Queens Quay is now a residential-led, mixed-use waterfront development extending to 80 acres.

The £250m regeneration project will transform the site into a vibrant community with more than 800 diverse housing units, health and leisure facilities, office and retail elements and civic spaces including parkland and a riverside walk/cycleway.

The project was given health board approval last year. Beth Culshaw, chief officer of the West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership, explained at the time: “This new expanded health and care centre will be much more than a simple replacement of the existing facility.

“It will give local people access to state-of-the-art health and care services in a facility fit for the 21st century – all under one roof.

“A key part of our vision going forward is to enhance our community health services. We want to see GPs empowered to play an enhanced role, leading multi-disciplinary teams of health professionals.”