Pizza plan for surgery

AFORMER GP surgery near Widnes could re-open its doors as a pizza takeaway and cafe after plans were lodged.

Hale Village Surgery on Ivy Farm Court on Town Lane shut at the end of last November.

The facility was run by NHS Halton Clinical Commissioning Group and the process to shut it began in 2017 when a practice in Upton Rocks made the request to close the Hale Village site, which was open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 1pm to 2.30pm as a satellite surgery.

The closure was opposed by Halton MP Derek Twigg and Hale Village councillor Mike Wharton, but it eventually closed its doors in November 2018.

Now plans have been lodged with Halton Borough Council to convert the former NHS clinic into a pizza takeaway and cafe.

A design and access

statement from Daccus Architects And Construction Managers submitted as part of the plans said all patients at the former surgery have remained registered at the facility in Upton Rocks and can access NHS services there.

The plans said changing the unit to a pizza takeaway and cafe will create extra jobs and be a ‘natural addition’ to other establishments in the area.

The restaurant would open from 10am to 10pm on Sunday through to Thursday, and from 10am to midnight on Friday and Saturday.

There would be 20 seats in the takeaway, another 20 in the cafe, and six more outdoors, as well as a small function room with eight seats.

The statement said: “It is our client’s intention to develop the unit into a pizza takeaway/cafe with shared kitchen and staff welfare provision.

“We feel this would sit as a natural addition to other establishments in the area.

“The surrounding area has a limited selection of restaurants and the takeaway/cafeteria provides and adaptable and commercially attractive development.

“The existing units have been available since the NHS clinic closed November 2018. Due to the current economic times, our client believes the unit would be a more attractive development as a takeaway and cafeteria.

“This will subsequently create additional employment opportunities and add to the cluster effect with other restaurants in the area.

“It is our intention to bring the unit into active use, by creating a relaxed and attractive takeaway and cafeteria environment for people to visit and enjoy.

“We feel the proposal will add to the character and existing Hale Village.”