PLANS to bring a new medical centre to two villages are a step closer to reality after council bosses assigned a specialist developer to take on the project.

Braintree Council is looking to build the new Hedingham Medical Centre in Sible Hedingham.

Plans have been in the pipeline for a number of years, with a site off Osier Way being safeguarded for the development of a health centre.

The land was reserved when Bloor Homes was granted planning permission to build homes on the old Premdor site.

Council bosses have been looking at the best way of bringing a new medical centre to the site to replace the three GP surgeries in the area, all run by the Hedingham Medical Centre.

Now the council, working with the NHS Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), has chosen a specialist developer to build the new surgery.

OneMedical Group, which specialises in the creation of healthcare properties, has won the tender for the project.

The council is now looking to transfer the land to OneMedical Group so it can proceed with the scheme.

OneMedical Group will manage the facility once it is complete.

The medical centre will have the capacity to serve around 10,000 patients from Sible and Castle Hedingham and the surrounding villages.

Council assets boss Kevin Bowers said: “We are pleased that we have found a specialist provider with the right expertise and experience to take this project on and forward to the next stage.

“We know how important good healthcare facilities and services are to residents, which is why we have been doing all that we can to help facilitate that process.”

It is expected OneMedical Group will arrange virtual events, where the team will answer questions for the public. Residents can email Feedback@ onemedicalgroup.co.uk to ask questions and register their interest in the events.

Hedingham district councillor Hylton Johnson said: “I am delighted that the plans for a new healthcare facility in Sible Hedingham are moving forward.

“The delivery of a centre which meets modern standards will benefit patients, residents and the local community for many years to come.

“I would encourage residents local to the area to register their interest in the virtual events to find out more about the plans and the project.”

Dan Doherty, of the Mid and South Essex CCG, said: “Ensuring the communities we serve have high-quality, sustainable and safe NHS services is our priority.

“A key part of delivering on that is making sure local GP practices have accessible, modern premises, so we are very pleased this arrangement is moving forward.

“We are grateful to the council, Hedingham Medical Centre and OneMedical Group for working with us to make it happen.”