| Client | Vinci Construction Limited for Merseycare NHS Foundation Trust |
|---|---|
| Turley office | Manchester |
| Status | Planning permission granted |
| LPA | Sefton Council |
A low secure unit for specialist learning disability inpatient care
Our role
- Acting on behalf of Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, we co-ordinated and submitted the outline planning application for the construction of a 40-bed purpose-built low decure learning disability unit, on approximately 6.5 acres of land to the east of Villas Road, Maghull, Sefton. The facility will be located adjacent to the Maghull Health Park, which also contains a medium secure unit and the high security Ashworth Hospital.
- The site is located on land identified as safeguarded for future development within the Sefton Local Plan (2017).
- We led negotiations with Sefton Council, providing planning advice and support throughout the project, alongside providing Strategic Communications and Economics advice.
Results
- We obtained outline planning permission in July 2020 and were retained to prepare and submit an application for the approval of the ‘reserved matters’ (layout, scale, appearance and landscaping). Working closely with council officers and the consultant team, we secured unanimous approval in November 2020.
- The delivery of the low secure unit in this location provides a unique opportunity to co-locate the three levels of mental health inpatient services, alongside the opportunity to create a centre of excellence for mental health care provision of national significance.
- Mersey Care will now proceed to the next stage in the statutory approvals process by presenting a sound business case for consideration by NHS England and Improvement. The Government has already committed £33 million to the project, subject to necessary approvals. A construction contract could be signed by late summer 2021, building work commenced later that year and the hospital completed in 2023.