Plans for GP surgery in former department store

By Fiona Callingham, Local Democracy Reporting Service

A new health hub comprising a GP practice, dental surgery and pharmacy could open in a former Southsea shop to ‘better serve the community.’

Plans to transform half of the ground floor of Handleys’ Corner in Palmerston Road, which was previously a Debenhams, have been revealed with hopes the Trafalgar Medical Group Practice (TMGP) will move in.

Under the proposals TMGP will relocate from its existing site in Osborne Road, while developers National Regional Property Group will seek a dental provider and pharmacy.

The other half of the ground floor – more than 10,000 sq ft – will be made available as retail.

In a letter to Portsmouth City Council Dr Jonathan Price, a senior partner at TMGP, said: ‘This development is a rarely available window of opportunity for TMGP to relocate its operation and Handleys’ Corner development is a rare opportunity to move to premises of a suitable size within central Southsea.

‘We hope that Portsmouth City Council will be supportive of the application that has been submitted and recognise the potential benefits that relocation of TMGP will bring for the wider community. ‘

It comes as two GP surgeries in Portsmouth that served around 14,000 patients closed this year – in Stubbington Avenue, North End and Hanway Road, Buckland.

As reported there has also been a 32.3 per cent drop in the number of NHS dentists in the Portsmouth CCG area between 2018/19 to 2019/20.

It follows the closure of Colosseum Dental Group in July last year when it shut down its three city practices.

Deputy council leader, Councillor Steve Pitt, welcomed the plans for Handleys’ Corner. ‘It’s always good to see an investment in a new medical practice, especially one that will be more modern and better serve the community,’ he said.

‘And it’s doubly exciting because having it in the heart of Southsea will drive footfall and help create an active space, which has got to be good news for retail.

‘Placing a range of health services in one hub is a fantastic idea.’

Shaun Adams, managing director of National Regional Property Group, added: ‘We’re in negotiations with the Trafalgar Group Medical Practice for them to take just under half the ground floor of the former Debenhams store in Southsea as a new purpose-built GP surgery.

‘We’re also hoping to find a dentists’ surgery and a pharmacy to make Handleys’ Corner a “health hub”. This, combined with the retail units along Palmerston Road, would really breathe life back into the heart of Southsea.’

Any move by the TGMP is subject to Portsmouth City Clinical Commissioning Group review and approval.

The planning application for building – that also includes 155 homes on the site – will be considered by the Portsmouth council planning committee at a future date.