12/07/2006 - Healthy Living Centre is go!

It’s good news! The development of the Healthy Living Centre, as part of the Hatfield regeneration project, can now proceed.

At Welwyn Hatfield Council’s Cabinet meeting on Tuesday 11 July 2006, Councillors heard that the first stage of the ground investigations on the Old Forum site in Lemsford Road, Hatfield have shown that no historical chalk mining took place on the site of the proposed Healthy Living Centre. This means that development of the centre can commence.

On top of this, Cabinet agreed to enter into a contract with St Modwen, the appointed developer, for the building of the centre. This follows the completion of negotiations with groups from the Bill Salmon Centre, as well as agreeing in principal a 25-year commercial lease with the Primary Care Trust.

With this major step now complete, it is hoped that building can start at the beginning of 2007. The development is predicted to take about 12-15 months to complete.

Councillor Richard Smith, Executive Member for Resources, said that he is delighted that this part of the development is moving forward: “Through effective partnership we have managed to get where we are today. Many of the groups from the Bill Salmon will be sited in the new building which provides a suitable fit with the PCT and the Council’s Hatfield housing office.”

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