Progress made on health and social care facility

Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said initial building works on the facility were moving forward

Initial building works on the Isles of Scilly Integrated Health and Social Care Facility have moved forward.

Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said it would like to apologise for any noise and inconvenience caused by activity in the Porthloo area.

It added the noise was due to the arrival of modular units that would form part of the new facility.

Each unit weighed four to six tonnes (4,000kg-6,000kg) each and are nearly 5m (16.4ft) by 3.9m (12.8ft), Harland & Wolff Marine Services said.

"Following planning and national funding approvals, initial building works on the facility are now moving forward at pace," Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said.

It added the modular units arrived on Sunday 18 August on board the Breb Countess and the construction teams were aiming to offload three to six modules at high tides.

It would be expected for all the units to be offloaded by Friday depending on the weather, the trust said.

It added the transfer was complex as the units could only be offloaded at high tide and in daylight.

Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said: "We understand the concerns raised about the high level of activity in an area which intersects with the coast path.

"Our teams are doing all they can to keep this short-term disruption to a minimum. Again, we are sorry for any noise and inconvenience caused.

"We would like to thank you for your patience and hope you will continue to work with us to support this major investment in health and social care on the Isles of Scilly."