Plans for Walton Community Centre in Peterborough to become new health centre move closer
Walton Community Centre is currently on Peterborough City Council’s asset disposal list.
Plans are progressing to create a new community health centre in Walton.
Peterborough City Council is currently considering an offer to purchase the Walton Community centre building, placed by the Walton Chemist.
The offer was placed following a meeting between the chemist’s owner Tas, the council’s Service Director for Infrastructure and Highways James Coolidge and Head of Estates Felicity Paddick; brokered by Paston and Walton ward councillor Alex Rafiq.
It is understood that the chemist would use the extra space to hold more consultations and provide more medical services.
Cllr Alex Rafiq, who has been working closely with both the council and the chemist to deliver a new community health provision for the area, has welcomed the news of the offer.
He said: “This would really benefit the community as it will allow the chemist to be able to expand and to offer additional services to those available at its current site.
"We have a few small obstacles to overcome but are confident that we can make this happen and would like to thank everyone so far for their continued support and positive feedback.
“I strongly believe this will be enhance our area and add value to the wider community of Peterborough. There has been a lot of interest in the building for various developments but I want to see it used for a purpose that will benefit the whole community.”
A sale of the community centre to a different bidder fell through earlier this year, leading the council to place the building up for public auction with an asking price of £175,000 to 200,000.
Cllr Rafiq was among those who ultimately compelled the council to pull the lot from auction to allow further discussions over a sale with a view to continued community use.
The centre, which features 2,003 square feet of ground floor accommodation plus a garden and yard area at the front, was one of seven community buildings in Peterborough to be listed for sale by the council in 2024 following a review of the local authority’s assets.