Proposal for cityside health hub submitted

The Department for Communities, which currently has responsibility for the site, back in 2018 conducted an Expression of Interest exercise to find out what interest there was in the former military base in Pennyburn. At the time, 11 expressions of interest were returned for the site, which was handed back by the MoD in the early 2000s for the benefit of local people.

The expressions of interest included the Medical Hub from the Western Trust, and a separate £80m International Maritime & Emigration Museum- on a scale similar to the Titanic Museum in Belfast - as part of wider development proposal from the Garvan O’Doherty Group.

The Department announced in February 2019 that it would allow the Western Health and Social Care Trust a year to develop its proposal and to identify funding streams, with that time-frame extended since.

A spokesperson for the Western Trust has now confirmed to the Journal: “Although remaining subject to Department of Health business case approval, the Western Health and Social Care Trust can confirm that as part of the business case development process for the provision of a major cityside health and care centre, the Fort George site has been identified as the recommended site deemed suitable for future service provision within the City.

“Following Trust Board approval in March 2020, the business case has been submitted for Departmental consideration and the Trust continues to work closely with the Department on the business case.

“The Trust and Department for Communities (site owners) entered into a joint Memorandum of Understanding allowing the Trust to progress the business case approval processes and secure the necessary Department approvals. In this respect both DfC and the Trust remain in regular contact in order to review progress.”

A Department for Communities spokesperson meanwhile said: “Over the coming months, the Department will be taking on board strategic advice and stakeholder input, and will decide on the most appropriate method for regenerating the Fort George site. The Department expects to undertake a full marketing exercise in the time ahead.

“The Department has received the Western Health and Social Care’s draft Business Case for the Cityside Health Hub proposal. Linked to the COVID unprecedented circumstances, the Trust asked for additional time to complete the necessary approvals for their proposal on Fort George. After due consideration and given the current exceptional situation relating to COVID, DfC were content to accommodate this request.”