Wellbeing campus plans move forward

Plans for a new multi-million pound "campus" of health, social care, education and voluntary organisations in Newtown are proceeding.

The plans at The Park form part of the North Powys Wellbeing Programme announced last year.

In May 2019, the Welsh Government announced that £2.5 million of funding has been made available to start the project.

Known as the North Powys Wellbeing programme, it is a collaboration between Powys County Council and Powys Teaching Health Board.

The project has been described, as a  “once in a generation opportunity to bring together organisations to enhance and transform the way services are delivered to the community.”

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, work on the project stopped for a time, as staff were redeployed to deal with the crisis.

Since July the team have been back working on the business case submission to the Welsh Government.

At the PCC Cabinet meeting next Tuesday, councillors will receive a report that outlines proposals for the site.

Options being considered include a new-build school, health and care centre, library and specialist housing.

And depending on their size, they could cost anywhere between £64 million and £83 million.

The documents explains why Newtown’s The Park area has been chosen.

The document says that it’s: “A good location, accessible to centre of the town, to the Open Newtown programme, recent housing initiatives and to other transport and amenities.”

It is also the right size and with potential for expansion, and is also seen as having therapeutic properties that are “ideal for promoting well-being; open green spaces, views, on the banks of the Severn.”

Building it in Newtown also mean that there are opportunities of working with the arts organisations, voluntary sector and business.

According to the business case, having it close to the town centre could also help support economic growth and regeneration in the area.

While the Programme Business Case, provides “high-level options”, more detailed work will be done as the project progresses.

If cabinet approves the business case, it will be presented to the Welsh Government on Friday, October 23.