PLANS to pump more than £1 million into a new clinic at Wharton have been unveiled by Cheshire Health Care Trust.

Building is scheduled to start in the summer and a new Bradbury Road health centre could be open in just 18 months.

Charlie Parkinson, chairman of Crook Lane and Wharton Gardens Residents' Association, has welcomed the news for Wharton - once dubbed the estate from hell.

He said: "This is a victory for us. We have been trying to find money to improve the estate and now we have won a million pounds.

"They are going to knock down the existing clinic and rebuild it completely. It's for the people of Wharton and will be a great facility. There will be a chemist and advice centre.

"This is something that will really improve the area, after all we have been neglected for nearly 30 years now. At last things are starting to move."

A meeting has been organised by the residents' association and Cheshire Community Healthcare Trust to discuss plans for the clinic at 7pm on February 9 in Willow Wood Junior School's hall.

Mr Parkinson explained: "All Wharton residents are invited to attend and we are encouraging as many people as possible to be there.

"Last time the residents' association met at the school we had an impressive turnout of about 200 people.

"I am also hoping to update residents at the meeting about Vale Royal Borough Council's proposals to renovate the estate.

"We have been in discussions with Vale Royal over the past few months and at a meeting last Wednesday, we came up with detailed proposals to improve the estate."

John Ranson, director of business planning at Cheshire Community Healthcare Trust, will give a short presentation about the new clinic.

He said: "We have recently completed a detailed discussion with the local GP which has resulted in an agreement being made for a new clinic facility on the Wharton site.

"We are also in detailed discussions with our regional office who we expect to be providing funding for the new centre which will cost in excess of £1 million.

"Our current plan is for the centre to be open in approximately 18 months time with building work to be started this summer."

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