Health centre plan for Barrow Kwik Save site
Monday, 05 October 2009 10:46
JN Murray Ltd has applied to Barrow Borough Council for outline planning permission to transform the empty Kwik Save site on Holker Street, Barrow.
It is expected that the pharmacy company will relocate its current headquarters and distribution centre from Duke Street, but the other nine branches in Barrow will remain as they are.
The plan also offers scope within the building for at least two doctors' surgeries or other modern healthcare services.
The existing site layout would be essentially unchanged except for a more central entrance to the building. Mr Jonathan Hartley, managing director of JN Murray, told the Evening Mail:
"We are looking at modern ways of providing pharmacy while responding to perceived needs."
"The Kwik Save site is ideally situated for a multi-disciplinary health centre."
"It is convenient for many people being in a housing area, yet it is also convenient for bus routes and the railway station."
"The building itself is larger than 14,000 square feet and in the opinion of respected local architects Craig and Green, it is constructed in a way that will easily allow windows to be put in the outer walls."
"Natural daylight can be allowed into the centre of the building from the roof above."
"It also benefits from a 75-space car park. As a pharmacy group with an 80-year history of serving the people of Barrow, Murray's recognise that we have an opportunity to play a part in helping to develop new modern healthcare facilities."
Mr Hartley said they have been in contact with potentially interested parties, including Cumbria Primary Care Trust.
He added: "Discussions that have taken place with third parties are obviously confidential. We are at an early stage so would be happy to hear from potential health and community service providers who would be interested."
The site has been empty for around three years. During that time opportunist motorists have used the car park for free. Principal planning officer for the borough council, Charles Wilton, said it had just received the application which would probably go before the planning committee in November.
He said: "It is early days but our planning policy is to encourage usage such as this, where facilities are located in areas close to the town centre. The aim is to make facilities easily accessible to everyone, rather than have people relying on cars."
A spokesperson for Cumbria PCT was not available to comment on the proposals.
Murray's – which has agreed to buy the Kwik Save site – has been providing pharmacy services in Barrow since the 1920s, when John Norman Murray started in Settle Street, Barrow. The firm grew with his son, Donald, until Donald's death in 1998.
The firm is still owned by the Murray family and now employs more than 100 people in the borough.
In addition to NHS and private dispensing and the sale of over the counter medicines, Murray's undertakes all pharmacy services commissioned by Cumbria PCT.
It recently opened a pharmacy in Ormsgill and also has branches in Cleator Moor, Egremont, Keswick, Lancaster and Ulverston.
