Helston Budgens building to be new GP practice in Cornwall

The upper ground floor of the building in the Trengrouse Way car park – the former shop floor level – is to become a new medical facility.

This will include a new, purpose-built GP practice for the patients of Meneage Street Surgery, using around three-quarters of the original supermarket floor space.

It will feature 19 consulting and treatment rooms, as well as support team rooms, designed to create a modern surgery that supports both the current and future needs of the town.

The rest of the upper ground floor will host three community rooms that will support well-being related activities, including for physical and mental health, plus meeting and social spaces.

How the new medical facility should look inside once work is completed (Image: PBWC Architects)

The new facility will be run by the Helios Health Partnership, which was was created in 2023, bringing together the organisations that run Meneage Street Surgery, Helston Medical Centre and Porthleven Surgery, and St Mary’s Health Centre on the Isles of Scilly.

Whilst each of these GP surgeries has a strong sense of identity to both the community it serves and its staff, they have a shared approach to improving health by wanting to provide care, centred around the person.

Dr Jim Tait, GP partner at Helios Health Partnership, said: “I’m delighted that we are able to deliver a much-needed increase in premises capacity for Helston. Our Meneage Street patients can look forward to a new GP surgery that is designed to the latest health standards and fully accessible.

“With the area’s population rising in age and need, we have to be able to address future health concerns and promote healthier lifestyles. This purpose-built facility will provide a notable amount of extra capacity to support both the physical and mental health needs of local residents.

“Alongside that, we have to be able to inspire, train, recruit and retain healthcare workers of all types here in our community. This building will allow us to do so, with dedicated training capacity.”

Consulting rooms are being created inside (Image: Helston Packet)

An open event is being held at the site on Thursday, September 12, for patients to drop in any time between 3pm and 6pm. There will be an opportunity to see first-hand the plans and the progress, as well as a presentation at 3pm and 5pm.

Dr Chris Reid, chief medical officer for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB, said: “We are pleased to share such positive news for the people of Helston.

“Breathing new life into a building that was a former supermarket will create a brand-new, fit for purpose GP surgery just a stone’s throw from the current site. But more than that, it will offer flexible spaces which foster a broader approach to the care needs of local residents with support from the community and voluntary sector.

“This is in keeping with a more community and patient centred approach to looking after people’s health, and will help to ensure that care is provided as close as possible to home, both now and into the future.”

In February it was revealed that the building had been taken over, with rennovation work beginning soon afterwards, which remains ongoing. 

David Turnbull, director of the South Kerrier Alliance, is helping oversee the construction work (Image: Helston Packet)

The project has been made possible through South Kerrier Alliance CIC (SKA), Helios Health Partnership, Cornwall Council, and NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board (ICB) working together closely.

SKA is leading on the project, with £2.63 million of capital funding supplied by Cornwall Council through its Good Growth Programme and Town Centre Revitalisation Fund.

Helios is working in partnership with the Integrated Care Board to support the ongoing running costs of the new surgery. Building work has already begun, with a target date to complete by March 2025.

Funding of £2,131,806 is provided from central Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which is managed by Cornwall Council, with an additional £500,000 from Cornwall Council’s Town Centre Revitalisation Fund.

David Turnbull, director of SKA, said: “We were determined to find a way to make this building work for everyone in Helston and provide the essential services our town deserves. Helston desperately needs more GP surgery space, and building this alongside multi-use space supporting community activities, physical and mental health groups linked to the surgery, is great news.

“With planning underway to create an activity space for young people and families in the lower ground floor, this building will be turned from a derelict eyesore into a fantastic asset for the area.”

New picture windows in place to give the building light (Image: Helston Packet)

He said everyone involved in the project was grateful for the groundwork already done by the Helston Place Shaping Team, as well as the “invaluable support” from Helston’s Cornwall councillors Guy Foreman and Mike Thomas, the help and assistance from many Cornwall Council officers and Cabinet members, and the continuing support from Helston Town Council.

The supermarket was built in 1985 and initially operated under the Gateway brand before spells as a Somerfield, Co-op and latterly Budgens.

Since it closed in 2017 it has proven difficult to find a viable use for the space, and its worsening state has attracted increasing anger amongst Helston’s residents.

The building’s lower floor was recently opened for a community consultation, with 367 people attending a five-hour Saturday afternoon session, as designed to attract younger people and capture their views on the types of activities they would like in the building.

You can read more about that here: Skating, graffiti and free pizza at open day in old Helston supermarket

The top activity requests were a climbing wall, roller skating, graffiti art, skateboarding, parkour and DJ skills. Other popular responses included circus skills, coding club, community café, events and computer gaming.

In all, more than 100 other, wide-ranging suggestions were collected. The project team is now working to secure further funding to develop the lower floor.

SKA is responsible for the construction works and ongoing management of the building once work is completed.

A registered Community Interest Company (CIC) created in 2008, SKA is a not-for-profit organisation, meaning any surplus funds from running the building will be invested back into its operation.