Background: There is concern within the Society that the opening of the new Community Hospital may be delayed indefinitely due to lack of funds and policy issues within the PCT. It seems quite possible that plans to sell off the existing hospital in Lansdowne Crescent may be implemented before a replacement is open.
The Site: Seaford Court is owned by the PCT and is the most convenient and central location for a new Hospital. Positioning it to the east of the main population centre in, for example, Townsend Way, will be much less suitable, with transport, convenience and environmental issues.
Some studies of the Seaford Court site have assumed that some of the land will be sold off for housing to subsidise the new Hospital; the Society is of the opinion that this is undesirable as the site should be used for a range of medical related services, i.e. move the Ambulance Station to the site and free up land elsewhere.
The Facilities: The basic requirement is for a replacement Hospital with, at least, thirty beds. The next most needed facility is a Minor Injuries Unit - to avoid travelling to Worcester, with consequent savings for ambulance and other services. It is suggested that physiotherapy, X-ray Units and Out Patient Care should also be included, with other specialised units being added when funds become available.
Alternative Funding: If funding is a delaying factor, ways of raising the money locally should be explored.
Roger SuttonMAINSTREET UK: The Civic Trust is in discussion with the District Council about the feasibility of Malvern becoming the first place in the UK to try out and thus become the benchmark for Mainstreet UK - a concept based on the work that has been done in the USA to set up community driven partnerships between commerce and local authorities with the aim of improving Malvern and increasing the number of visitors.
The subject is on the agenda of the Town Centre Partnership in April.
Public Toilets
The Society looked at the decision to close the public toilets on Edith Walk and wrote to the MHDC as follows:
We have received an acknowledgement from Mr Bocock, the Chief Executive, and the matter is due for further consideration by the Council in April.
Malvern College Development: Reports have appeared in the Press that the College is planning a £20m expansion to take account of a 25 per cent increase in pupil numbers since 2000. The new site for the Junior School is at the Firs at the end of College Grove. The former Ellerslie School along Wells Road will be closed and sold off. The relocation of the prep school will result in the sale of a number of Victorian buildings. We have written to the Bursar who has promised to keep us in the picture with regard to the plans as they emerge.
Tudor House: The MHDC rejected an application to convert Tudor House into seventeen apartments - preferring the fourteen originally proposed.
The Society wrote expressing concern at a number of aspects of the proposed development including the awkward drive under the Bridge of Sighs and the need to protect the listed building both inside and out.
The site is also very significant as the first of the water cure centres and a number of remains of the wells, pipes and tanks remain. At the time of going to press, it is hoped to arrange for a simple excavation to take place to identify and preserve this important part of Malvern's heritage.