A new health centre and secondary school on the site of the old hospital on East Dulwich Grove was approved by Southwark Council’s Planning Committee on Tuesday night.
The new Charter East Dulwich School will take over the other three-quarters of the nineteenth-century hospital site, with the central ‘Chateau’ building, and the western wings of the Victorian buildings being preserved.
Among the facilities at the new health centre will be:
- Services for people with long-term conditions, including: chronic kidney disease, diabetes, heart disease, chronic asthma and some mental health services
- Diagnostics and out-patient services
- Primary care children’s services with immunisations and speech and language therapy
- Blood testing facilities, MRI scanning, ultrasounds, echo-cardiology and x-rays
- Musculo-skeletal physiotherapy, skin and liver clinics and some eye-services
In October last year, the NHS finally signed over two plots of land, ensuring plans for the new Charter East Dulwich secondary school could go ahead.
The land was handed to the Education Funding Authority, with a final plot to be transferred once the new health centre is built.
Councillor Victoria Mills, Southwark Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Schools, said: “I am de-lighted that this fantastic new school building has been given the go ahead.
“The new Charter School East Dulwich is already providing much needed secondary school places as part of our expansion plans but today’s news means many more local children can look forward to a brilliant educational experience. I look forward to welcoming them to their new school in 2018.”
East Dulwich Liberal Democrat councillor, James Barber, said: “When Liberal Democrats originally proposed a new East Dulwich secondary school, Southwark Council gave an emphatic no.
“So it is great to see this U-turn finally get results.”