The business case for the proposed £1.48 million Corwen Health Centre will be considered tomorrow (Thursday) by the Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board.

The new health centre would provide two additional consulting rooms for the GP practice; two new dental surgeries and associated facilities; a multi-purpose treatment room; accessible toilets; baby feeding and changing facilities; records storage, and improved working conditions for staff.

If approved work is planned to start on site during the autumn and be completed by next summer. During the construction phase services would continue to be provided from mobile units adjacent to the site.

Betsi Cadwaladr Area Director Bethan Jones said: “The re-development of the Health Centre in Corwen will provide much-needed investment in primary care services for the area.”

Cllr Hew Jones, who represents Corwen on Denbighshire County Council said: “There is a definite need for the new health centre, particularly the dental surgery, it is only a mobile dental surgery in a van at the moment. The existing building badly needs modernising.”

Councillor, Mabon ap Gwynfor, who represents the nearby Llandrillo/Cynwyd ward and who had organised a campaign to improve the Health Service four years ago, added: “The case for funding the redevelopment of Corwen Surgery is overwhelming. I hope the health board is unanimous in its support of the plans.

“The Dee Valley has already been deprived a community hospital having lost the one at Llangollen and we have seen cuts at Ruthin Hospital. Being a rural area we have seen services eroding over the years leaving us isolated. This investment would be an important step change in the recent trend of centralising services and taking them away from rural areas like ours, and will be warmly welcomed.”

Clwyd South AM Ken Skates said: “Before last year’s Assembly elections I promised to fight for increased funding for health and social care in Corwen and was given a personal assurance by health board chief executive Gary Doherty that work to improve facilities was a priority. Corwen is a vitally important surgery serving thousands of my constituents.

“I look forward to seeing this much anticipated redevelopment given the green light this week and will continue to work alongside the health board on behalf of the people of Corwen.”

Chairman of Corwen Town Council, Cllr Simon Watkins said: “The health centre is an essential for the town and surrounding communities. We have been waiting for its refurbishment for about 10 years. We need a permanent dentist’s surgery, amd more services. Currently people have to travel to Denbigh, Chirk or Wrexham, for things like X rays, anything more than just straightforward visits to the GP.

“There is a lot of feeling in the town about this. People are looking forward to the health centre being updated.”