- SADDLEWORTH’S attempt to secure a much-needed new medical centre have been boosted by Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
The authority wrote to the Department for Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) following the public consultation on its forthcoming neighbourhood plan.
Many people raised the failure of the planning system to deliver healthcare facilities needed as the wait goes on.
Now Mr Streeting has promised to take on board the Parish Council’s comments that healthcare provision needs to be a much more important part of the planning process.
In a letter, he told it: “The Government shares your concern about the impact of planning legislation on healthcare provision.
“The department welcomes your recommendations. However, changes to the planning system are the responsibility of the Secretary of State for the MHCLG and not within the remit of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
“The Department will consider your recommendations as part of its ongoing dialogue with MHCLG.”
The forthcoming Neighbourhood Plan for Saddleworth Parish now includes a section on healthcare, social care and education, in direct response to requests from the public to address the provision of these facilities.
Parish Council chair, Councillor Barbara Beeley said: “The Parish Council does not have any legal powers to force the building of healthcare facilities, for example.
“However, we recognised the strength of feeling from people for this to be considered more in planning terms, so we have added what policies we could to push for healthcare, education and social care to be more of a factor in planning decisions.
“This is also why we have been in dialogue with both the MHCLG and the Department for Health and Social Care, pushing for them to change the law and ensure that people can access the healthcare they need in the places they need them – closer to home.”
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