Health centre hope for former store

Stockton Council bought the old Debenhams building in October 2023

A town's former Debenhams store could become a community health care facility, council chiefs have said.

Stockton is one of 43 areas selected by the government to be part of a programme aimed at improving healthcare on people's doorsteps through new neighbourhood teams.

A Stockton Council cabinet meeting was told that being chosen was a "major feather in our cap", and there were hopes the property, which the council bought in 2023 could be used to provide "community health facilities".

The meeting also heard about ongoing plans for a care and health innovation zone and medical school in the borough.

Council leader councillor Lisa Evans told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "It's worth noting that our council is one of the places allocated this week, out of only 42 in the country for community health.

"I think it's really important and the plans for Debenhams could actually build into that."

Councillor Pauline Beall, cabinet member for health and adult social care, said: "Being chosen to be part of the neighbourhood health implementation programme is a major feather in our cap which builds on the huge amount of existing work happening across Stockton-on-Tees to give people the care and support they need.

"It also puts us at the forefront of informing the development and implementation of national policy that will benefit the health and wellbeing of our local people.

"I am really pleased that the Debenhams building itself may be used for our community health facilities.

"That would mean at both ends of the high street, fairly visible and accessible for people to use, and I'm sure that's only the start of it."