Cost cuts put plans for two new health centres in coma

By Chris Young
Plans for new health centres in Congleton and Scholar Green are on hold until the new coalition government's spending plans become clear.
Central and Eastern Cheshire Primary Care Trust made the announcement on Tuesday following months of speculation that the projects faced financial trouble.
According to a statement the trust's "change in financial circumstances" meant the Congleton Health Centre plans, incorporating the town's three existing doctors' surgeries, would be delayed until autumn at the earliest.
The future of the Scholar Green super surgery, accompanied by a 56-house estate, would be reviewed this month.
The Congleton project, earmarked for the town centre Fairground car park site, would have incorporated medical facilities not currently available in the town. Public consultation was to have started this summer with the centre completed by 2012.
Work on the Scholar Green centre, earmarked for a site on Portland Drive, was due to begin last year after over four years' planning.

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