A multi-million pound scheme to create a new health centre has been approved.
Work on the £3.1m facility in Great Harwood is expected to begin before Christmas and could be completed by February 2014.
The new centre will be built next to the existing site on Water Street which has been operating since 1974.
John Dickinson, design manager for the Great Harwood health centre, said it was ‘really exciting’ news for the town.
Speaking to residents at an area council meeting last week, he said: “Anybody who knows that health centre knows it is just a timber frame building and it’s done fabulously well to last as long as it has.
“We’ve had great news that Hyndburn council had given planning approval for the development and the NHS full business case is expected to be approved by the end of November.”
Preparation for a 12-month construction period will start before Christmas and work will start in earnest in January.
The new health centre will include The Royle Practice, the Great Harwood Medical Group and a branch of the Dr Valluri practice. There will also be treatment rooms, speech and language therapy and podiatry facilities.
The project was shelved in 2010 after the NHS said it was no longer affordable in the tough economic climate.
However, the go-ahead was given by planning officers last week.
Great Harwood councillor Ciaran Wells said he was delighted to see the plans approved.
He added: “It’s extremely positive. We have been so near and yet so far for a long time.”
