A planning application has been submitted by the Paxton Medical Group to knock down the closed scouts hut as well as the land around it on Fender Way to make way for a new medical centre on the Beechwood estate in Wirral.
Paxton Medical Group is a collection of several GP practices in and around north Birkenhead. Clinical director Dr David Baker previously said: “As with many communities, there are no quick fixes, but I believe if people see investment, if they can see new life in their community, they will come together and change their community from within.
“We have growing issues facing our population now. You can despair about that, or you can be change-makers and drive forward tangible improvements. When people feel hopeful, when their physical and mental health improves, the changes in communities are palpable.”
A planning statement submitted to Wirral Council said the estate “suffers from significant health inequality and deprivation,” adding: “The proposal presents a real opportunity to rectify that inequality and deprivation through care provision, education, community services and health and well-being initiatives.”
This includes higher rates of obesity, depression, death rates, as well as emergency hospital admissions in heart, lung and vascular diseases. The document added: “The area where the site is situated has higher levels of very bad health and is ranked in some of the very highest levels of health deprivation in not just the Wirral, but in the whole of England.”
The area around Bidston Hill is in the top 0.12% of all lower layer super output areas (LSOAs) for health deprivation in England. Meanwhile Noctorum and Upton East is in the top 1.36%.
At the moment, the Beechwood estate has one small scale GP practice. The planning statement said this was not enough to meet the health needs of the area.
Earlier this year, Paxton asked people for their thoughts on the plans. According to the planning statement, there was “significant levels of community support,” adding: “The community recognises the benefits of the proposal and the considerations that weigh in favour of the community-based development and the role that it will play that outweighs any notional usage of the site as urban greenspace.”
The statement highlighted how the site has been impacted by anti-social behaviour describing it as a “long-term blight on the local community.” Paxton argues the development is sustainable, has been welcomed by the community who support it, and there are no benefits to keeping the site as is.