IT'S been nearly a year since Bridgwater received a £19.7 million windfall to bring its old hospital back into use – and work is under way on the final designs and making the site safe to work on.
The decaying building will be transformed into a health and social care training centre thanks to the money from the government's Levelling Up Fund.
There will be a satellite site at the vacant Seahorses Centre in Minehead.
The funding was confirmed in January and formally accepted by the former Somerset County Council in late-February.
Somerset Council (the unitary authority in control since April) took ownership of the building and appointed a design team in the summer.
Now, the council has given the Mercury another progress update.
A spokesperson said: “Since Somerset Council took ownership of the former Bridgwater Hospital over the summer, much work has been undertaken to increase safety in and around the hospital buildings.
“In addition, design work is well underway and once this has been finalised, subject to planning approval, work at the site can begin.
“As soon as contracts and timescales are agreed, we will let all interested parties know.”
The Grade II-listed building dates back to 1865 but has lain vacant since the community hospital opened on Bower Lane in 2014.
The bid for funding – submitted by Sedgemoor District Council with several partners, such as the NHS – was the only successful bid in Somerset.
Read more: Health and social care academy will soon be delivered at former hospital
Three others failed to obtain government funding, including a joint proposal to enhance Cheddar, Highbridge and Shepton Mallet.
In total, £2.1 billion worth of funding was announced for UK-wide regeneration projects in the second round of levelling up funding in January.
The streets around the old hospital will be revamped as part of the Celebration Mile project – one of 11 projects funded by the £23 million Bridgwater Town Deal.
When the hospital funding was announced, the Bridgwater and West Somerset MP, Ian Liddell-Grainger, said: “What a great day for Bridgwater.
“Hot on the heels of 11 business cases in the £23 million Bridgwater Town Deal being approved by government, we're over the moon to hear an additional £20 million is coming into the town.”
Councillor Duncan McGinty, the then-leader of Sedgemoor, said: “This is a fantastic shot in the arm for Sedgemoor and its partners.
“We're absolutely delighted the bid was accepted and look forward to work starting on this fantastic project.”
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