A MAJOR regeneration project in Bridgwater town centre has taken a tentative step forward as repairs begin on the town’s former community hospital.

The building on Salmon Parade, which dates back to 1865, has lain vacant since 2014 when the new community hospital and minor injuries unit opened on Bower Lane.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) confirmed in January 2023 that it would provide £19.7m to create a new health and social care training facility at the Bridgwater site, along with a satellite site at the Seahorse Resource Centre in Minehead.

Somerset Council has now confirmed initial repairs are being carried out on the building – though the main phase of the project will not get under way for some time.

The building, which has been purchased by the council, will be turned into a “training centre of excellence in health and social care”, boosting staff numbers in Somerset and encouraging them to remain in the county after they finish training.

Technology companies will be encouraged to set up near the site to “drive innovation”, and the centre will provide more capacity for primary care services in and around the town, allowing more people to be supported in their own homes.

The building has been subject to numerous previous redevelopment attempts – including a hotel and gym – and has been blighted by antisocial behaviour for a number of years, including incidents in June and July 2020 of local children climbing onto its roof.

A council spokesman stated on Tuesday evening (March 19) said: “Repair and maintenance works are being carried out on the former Bridgwater hospital site at Salmon Parade.

“These are very early works and contractors have been initially appointed to remove debris caused by recent trespass activity and to make safe loose materials which were in danger of falling outside of the site boundaries.

“Delicate works will then continue to access and shore-up deteriorated elements of the buildings, before commencing the removal of asbestos and other hazardous materials.

“We can confirm that none of the main or listed buildings are being removed or altered at this time.

“The project is still in the design work phase and necessary planning permissions still need to be obtained.”

Around 2,270 sq m of training space will eventually be provided across the two sites, along with 860 sq m of key worker and trainee accommodation and 400 sq m of commercial office or business space.

Following speculation on social media, Bridgwater town councillors have confirmed that no demolition work or other drastic changes to the former hospital site would be undertaken until planning permission (including listed building consent) had been secured.

Councillor Jacqui Solomon said: “The building is listed and it certainly wouldn’t be demolished without listed building consent.”

Councillor Tim Mander, the town council’s portfolio holder for property, added: “The next phase of work is to remove debris, asbestos and prepare for the removal of some of the perimeter buildings.

“We did have a crane removing fire escapes and other attached bits a month ago.

“The new use of a crane is to make safe the public domain and remove all broken roof materials caused by vandalism.”

The delivery of the Bridgwater site will complement the improvements being made to Salmon Parade and the surrounding area as part of the delivery of the Celebration Mile, which is being funded by £9m from the Bridgwater town deal.

In Minehead, the Seahorse Resource Centre is expected to become Minehead’s new police station in the coming months, with the council renting back a small section of the building from Avon and Somerset Constabulary.

The council estimates that a further 8,800 care staff will be needed by 2035, with the new facility expected to provide around 20 per cent of this number (c. 1,760 people).

Formal planning applications for changes to the Bridgwater site are expected to come forward by the summer.