Transformation of the site should start soon before the new-look surgery opens in 2024, with consulting rooms for doctors, a new educational space and a dedicated social prescribing and counselling suite.
The new practice will be more than twice the size of the current site in Queen’s Road, which is just 300 yards away. It will have more parking spaces, electric car charging points, a drop-off point and an enclosed bike store.
Queen’s Road Medical Practice chief executive officer Will Pierce said: ‘We have been searching for a suitable location for several years as we are outgrowing our current site.’
‘We are very pleased to have bought such a landmark building from the States, which will enable us to create a great environment for patients to visit and our staff to work from.’
The sale was agreed as part of the States’ property rationalisation programme.
The property went on the market for £1.75m. in January 2020. The sale went through for £1.56m. last month, after planning permission was granted in 2021 to have the use of the site converted from offices to flats and a medical centre.
Policy & Resources property lead Dave Mahoney said: ‘This was a significant site in States ownership which we vacated some time ago as part of our ongoing property rationalisation programme, which aims to use our property portfolio more efficiently and free up sites we don’t need.
‘I’m extremely pleased the sale has now been completed, particularly as the new owners will be developing it into a health and wellbeing site for the benefit of our community.’
The Longfrie surgery will remain as part of Queen’s Road Medical Practice, and the current Queen’s Road surgery will remain open until the new site is ready to occupy.
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