SHOEBURY could finally be boosted by a much-needed new health centre, more than ten years after it was initially proposed.

The NHS in Southend has announced it is holding a public consultation to gauge the views of residents on four possible sites for the centre.

Options include using the existing Shoebury health centre site in Campfield Road, land in Gunners Park, the derelict Shoebury House site in Ness Road or the Thorpedene clinic.

Plans recently approved for 214 new homes in Gunners Park include a site for a health centre although concerns over flooding remain.

While 72 new homes are also being proposed for Campfield Road which, according to campaigners, underlines the need for a new health centre as pressure on the NHS grows.

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Peter Lovett, vice-chairman of Shoebury Residents’ Association, said: “It is fantastic news. We’ve been fighting for this for the last ten to 15 years to get a better service in Shoebury. It’s great they a finally doing this after so many years of waiting. Our doctors are getting stressed and are overloaded so it is very much needed.”

Shoebury House, originally built as a pre-war convalescent home, was recently used for non-residential specialist health care but the building has been vacant since 2008. Last year, the council was looking at using the vacant Thorpedene Library.

James Moyies, Tory councillor for Shoebury, said: “This is the very first stage. The clinical commissioning group has said any of the four sites are suitable so now we want to gauge public feeling on where it should go. This will be so much more than just a health centre. It will be a health and wellbeing centre with so much more in it.

“Work should start next year. We need to see spades in the ground as soon as possible.”

Steven Wakefield, Independent councillor for Shoebury ward, added: “This is fantastic news. I’ve worked quite hard on this to keep pushing for it.

“We were second on the list for a new health centre so it’s great news they are now getting on with it.”

The public consultation will take place at the Salvation Army hall in Frobisher Way, Shoebury on June 16 from 3pm to 8pm.