Stretford Memorial Hospital could undergo £3.7m transformation
Plans have been submitted to turn the vacant medical centre in Old Trafford into a modern GP surgery and wellbeing centre.
Stretford Memorial Hospital, located off Seymour Grove, closed in 2015. Since then, it has been a target for vandals and arsonists.
Entrepreneurial investor Mark Schofield wants to change that. He has recruited architect Howard & Seddon Partnership to help. Together, they have drawn up plans to modernise the 2.5-acre site, which is currently owned by the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust.
The main building on the premises is Basford House, which was built in 1860 as a home for cotton shipping merchant Henry Beecroft Jackson. Basford House had been turned into a staging hospital in World War I and later became a maternity hospital in 1925. It was a geriatric hospital when it closed.
Schofield wants to turn Basford House into the GP surgery. It has a two-storey wing, which would become a day-care mental health and wellbeing centre. There are two other single-storey buildings on the site, which would be renovated to service the surgery.
Schofield’s plans also include a car park and landscaping.
While plans are awaiting approval from Trafford Council, the site is being marketed by Avison Young for its owner Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust.
Schofield hopes he can persuade the Trust to take him up on his proposals.
“The site’s status as a non-designated heritage asset, combined with the urgent need for community healthcare provision, means my proposal sets out a clear solution which is in keeping with its history at a time when local health services are insufficiently resourced and the NHS is under enormous pressure,” he said.
“I hope the Trust will embrace the proposal for re-use for healthcare services rather than wait for unsubstantiated and unrealistic housing proposals, especially as in the meantime security costs are having to be met by the taxpayer.”
Schofield’s planning application is not yet available on the Trafford Council planning portal.
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust has been approached for comment.
Fully support this proposal
By DAVID PAUL JARMAN
Hope this goes ahead ASAP ugently needed
By Ray Fletcher
Please get on with it! !
By Raymond
This is a great idea! What’s taking so long with planning? The building is suffering, get on with it.
By Trish
I sincerely hope this transformation goes ahead.
Both my parents worked at Stretford Memorial Hospital.
My dad was a porter there for nearly 15 years
It was a lovely hospital in it’s day with friendly, helpful staff and served the public and community well.
It was a shame to see a much needed facility close, and then for the buliding just to go to wrack and ruin; like Longford Hall did, which was eventually demolished.
I wish you luck in your endeavours Mr Schofield.
I hope the building is transformed and goes on to served the community once again.
Kind Regards
Margaret
By Anonymous