A HUGE former town centre Debenhams has been gutted and cleared ahead of a new health centre being built, new images show. Construction works are underway on the new Basildon Health Centre at the site of the former huge department store, which stretched over four floors in Basildon’s Eastgate Shopping Centre reports the Local Democracy Reporter.
A large internal wall has been put up and other walls have been removed. Thrive Health Hubs is planning a four floor health centre at the site and bosses insist it’ll be ready to open in the late autumn.
Around three quarters of the health centre’s work is set to be for NHS patients, despite it being a private health centre.
Michael Catling, chief operating officer at Thrive Health Hubs said: “Having started my career in the NHS, I know the incredible things it does but it is struggling. So many people need diagnosis and routine tests and procedures and with the new Basildon Health Centre will offer significant opportunity for more capacity. The location is phenomenal and it will make a huge difference to people.”
Constructions works are set continue into March, while equipment is expected to be on site by August. The centre will offer a huge range of services including knee, shoulder and bladder operations as well as biopsy services. It’s set to create around 50,000 appointments this year and up to 80 jobs initially.
Andrew Sheldon, non executive director at Thrive Health Hubs, said there will be other benefits to the town centre and it ties in with the changing nature of town centres.
The Essex county councillor added: “Basildon will really see a big increase in footfall and we are also improving health care while employing skilled workers. People waiting for operations will be able to visit the shops or go for a coffee in the shopping centre.”
The first phase will see “core health services” on the ground floor including: CT scanner, MRI scanner, x-ray, ultrasound scan rooms, echocardiography, respiratory diagnostics, outpatient department offering range of GP and specialist clinics and operating theatres and minor procedures.
The former department store closed in 2021 and part of the site has become a FunParx indoor fun park with “something for everyone of all ages.” It comes as the new Pitsea Community Diagnostic Centre in Northlands Pavement is expected to be open in spring 2027.
