New £30m Bangor Health Hub moves a step closer
29 July, 2024
Plans for a new £30 million health and wellbeing hub in Bangor have been approved by the Health Board and Cyngor Gwynedd.
The proposed hub is planned to be located inside the Menai Centre on the high street in Bangor.
The hub is part of the Health Board’s plans to improve access to local health services in the area and is part of the Council’s plans to help towards regenerating the city centre.
Dyfed Edwards, Chair of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said: “The first stage of the business case for our Health and Wellbeing Hub has now been submitted to Welsh Government for approval to progress to the next detailed design stage.
"We have entered into initial discussions with the Bronderw and Bodnant GP Practices about our plans, which remain at an early stage of development, and will be subject to approval of a formal business case submitted to the Board and then Welsh Government.
“This is a really important development for the city of Bangor and will bring a range of community health and social care services, Council and voluntary services all into one place to provide better access for our community.
“We now look forward to continuing to work in partnership with Cyngor Gwynedd as we move on to the next stage.”
This ambitious scheme forms a key part of the Bangor Regeneration Partnership’s overall proposals for the city led by Cyngor Gwynedd. It is hoped that the additional footfall generated by the proposed Health & Wellbeing Hub will be a major contributory factor in the regeneration of the city centre. The location of the new hub means that it will be easily accessible to the local population in terms of public transport from all parts of the city.
Councillor Dyfrig Siencyn, Leader of Cyngor Gwynedd, said: “I am delighted that our plans for the Health Centre at the heart of Bangor have taken another significant step forward. Cyngor Gwynedd and our partners are working on ambitious plans to regenerate Bangor City Centre and the Health Centre is one important element of these plans.
“Not only will the centre improve the health provisions for the local community, but will also provide a significant boost for the city centre, drawing in more people and increasing trade in the city centre. Like many other cities and town across the country, Bangor High Street has faced significant challenges over recent years due to a combination of changes in people’s shopping habits, recession and the Covid pandemic. But by these sorts of investment, and bringing well-paid jobs and essential services into the heart of the city, we are confident that we can help give Bangor a brighter outlook.”
Councillor John Wynn Jones, Chair of the Bangor Partnership, added: “This is an important scheme for Bangor City Centre, and has the full support of the Bangor Partnership. It also shows the value of organisations taking a collaborative approach, and look forward to offering further input during the next phase of the work”.
On behalf of both Bronderw and Bodnant GP Practices, Dr Nia Hughes said: “We are looking forward to the opportunities that this development will provide for the sustainability of primary care in the local area, and hopeful that it will enable us to expand the health care services available in the Bangor community.”