Councillors will be asked to approve the sale of prime town centre land in Brunswick Street, Teignmouth, to Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, as the site for the new Health and Wellbeing Centre for the town and surrounding area.

This will come before the full Teignbridge Council on Thursday, April 28.

The site at Brunswick Street has been identified as one of the main areas for regeneration in the town, and Teignbridge Council has considered a number of options for this prime town centre location, which it says is currently under-used and partly derelict.

In 2019 the site was approved for the development of a Premier Inn hotel, but because of a change in demand throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Premier Inn pulled out of the development plans.

Since then the council has been working with the NHS over the proposals to create a Health and Wellbeing Centre on the site and subject to councillors’ decision next week, the sale of the land has now been agreed. The new centre would be subject to the usual planning process.

The NHS had previously submitted a planning application for a Health and Wellbeing centre on a different part of the same regeneration site on Brunswick Street.

In a press release for Teignbridge Council and NHS Devon a spokesperson said: ‘The revised plot allows for a better layout of the new Health and Wellbeing facility for the town.

‘The existing surface car park and adjacent former Bobbets Garage will be sold as part of the package, which will mean closing the Brunswick Street car park.

‘To offset this, councillors will also be asked to approve the budget to create a new car park next to the site, and these, alongside the additional spaces created at the nearby Eastcliffe car park, will replace the spaces being lost as part of the land transfer.’

Councillor Richard Keeling, Executive Member for Property and Assets, said: ‘The sale of this site will enable the NHS to deliver a Health and Wellbeing Centre in Teignmouth to enable local communities to access a range of services for their healthcare needs.

‘This development will also pump prime the area, not only regenerating the site itself, but also attracting a huge opportunity for inward investment, improving the area for local residents and visitors.

‘This has been a positive collaboration with the NHS to provide a modern and accessible healthcare hub in the centre of a flourishing seaside town.’

Liz Davenport, chief executive for Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: ‘We are really pleased to be working with the council on the delivery of a new Health and Wellbeing Centre for Teignmouth.

‘If approved by the council, the purchase of this site by the NHS is an important step forward in this development.

‘This town centre location means, that subject to planning permission, the NHS can build an accessible, new Health and Wellbeing Centre that will bring together a broad range of health and wellbeing services in one place, including GPs.

‘We know that car parking is a particular concern for local people and this has been clearly recognised in the proposal.’

Dr Carlie Karakusevic, a partner at Channel View Medical Group, said: ‘The new centre will play a key role in safeguarding the future of GP care in Teignmouth.

‘We can see real benefits to patient care, as services are in one place and staff from different organisations and different disciplines can work together as one team to provide proper joined-up care for local people.’