Our major recommendations
Cookham Medical Centre
| MAIN REPORT INDEX |
Our various consultations demonstrate that our Medical Centre, situated close to the midpoint of the three Cookhams is a very highly regarded and valued local service. We are aware that the Government has indicated that it will encourage more treatments of patients in local surgeries. We believe that we should do everything possible to retain and promote our Centre for the Village. If it is necessary to enlarge the buildings, we recommend that development and extra parking should be allowed for this purpose on the field to the north of the site. This field is in private ownership and currently in the Green Belt. However, we believe that the vital importance of the retention and development of this facility on this site would justify a breach of the Green Belt.
The biggest current problem in Lower Road is the shortage of parking between New Road and Grange Road. The Centre’s car park is frequently overloaded and is highly valued for use out of surgery hours by patrons of the Pinder Hall. Any new development should include additional parking on the field to the north with access through the existing site, and release, if possible, additional land at the front for parking. It should also include premises for an NHS (National Health Service) dentist.
If it does not prove possible to expand on this site and new premises are needed, we recommend that they be as close to the centre of the Village as possible, with an NHS dentist and pharmacy attached. (This could release the whole of the existing site for parking.)