Sandwell’s £80 million scheme

The ambitious plans for a large-scale modernisation of health and council facilities have been announced by Sandwell Local Improvement Finance Trust Company (LIFT), which will plan, design, build and maintain the buildings for Sandwell Primary Care Trust (PCT) and Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council under long-term public private partnership agreements.

Up to 14 new state-of-the-art centres will be built between 2009 and 2011, with three existing facilities extended or refurbished. Once open the buildings will house a wide range of primary care and GP services, council and community services – all under one roof.

One of the first schemes, the £7 million Glebefields Health Centre for Tipton (see artist’s impression), will be built on a brownfield site on the town’s St Marks Road, replacing the outdated Glebefields Health Centre nearby. The 18-month building project is expected to start in the New Year, with the centre due to open its doors in summer 2010.