Wallingford Medical Practice could relocate

Wallingford Medical Practice, in Reading Road, could be moving to the town's Winterbrook Meadows development site to the north of the Wallingford bypass.

Developers Berkeley Homes have planning permission for 502 new homes including an extra care facility, but plans are yet to be finalised.

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The medical practice in Reading Road (Google Maps)

A parcel of land within the site was previously earmarked for a primary school but Oxfordshire County Council would prefer to site the school in another part of the town.

It is now hoped a new surgery could be built on the land for the GP surgery to accommodate the town's growing population.

Discussions are taking place between the developers, the town council, South Oxfordshire District Council, Oxfordshire County Council and the Clinical Commission Group (CCG) but no decision has yet been made.

However, Berkely Homes stated in its plan that if the site was not required for education, it would be made available for community use or a health centre.

A spokesperson for the medical practice said: "The site is an excellent prospect for general practice in Wallingford and an excellent prospect for the health and wellbeing of the patients of Wallingford Practice.

Land at Winterbrook (Berkeley Homes)

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"It is the only good quality suitable option available to safeguard the future of community medical services in the town.

"It is central, and with appropriate care in the planning process, ease of access via foot, bicycle, bus and car can easily be maintained.

"We would remain close to the Wallingford Community Hospital, where we have a long history of providing medical cover.

"The site will make possible an accessible, modern, spacious facility which with careful screening can be discrete and private too."

The practice has tried to expand before to keep up with demands and was granted planning permission in 2020 for a small expansion.

However the surgery felt the project was "no longer cost effective" and decided a relocation would be better.

(Credit: Wallingford Medical Practice)

The spokesperson added: "Alternative solutions have been sought on the current site to no avail, including alternative designs and even obtaining land or existing buildings from our neighbours, which has not been possible we are building at the seams.

"The population increase continues relentlessly and our patient list size continues to grow with it and we need space to put these people.

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“We must keep up. And to do this we have to move. We firmly believe that a larger, more modern development on the site represents the best and only realistic option for Wallingford.”

To comment on the move, email: cllr.katharine.keats.rohan@wallingfordtowncouncil.gov.uk

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Read more from this author

This story was written by Gee Harland, she joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.

Gee covers Wallingford and Didcot.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @Geeharland

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