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LOCALS have been left furious after bulldozers demolished a "desperately needed" GP surgery to make way for a Lidl.

Outraged patients have slammed the decision to build the bargain supermarket at the walk-in health centre in Manchester.

Lidl is set to demolish the unit were the Hawthorn Medical Centre sits
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Lidl is set to demolish the unit were the Hawthorn Medical Centre sitsCredit: MEN Media
Doctors and patients are facing an 'uncertain future'
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Doctors and patients are facing an 'uncertain future'Credit: MEN Media

Hawthorn Medical Centre in Fallowfield is now facing a race against time to secure an alternative location before the demolition deadline.

The move has left shocked doctors and staff scrambling to find an alternative site for relocation or a different building.

A frustrated local said: "It’s shocking that a surgery that’s desperately needed is being demolished…it’s ludicrous."

Doctors said the current premises have become too small due to the expansion of the surgery.

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But they said the demolition notice by Lidl has left them with a tight timeframe.

A public meeting was held by the medical centre bosses in Levenshulme to shed light on the urgency of the situation.

Hope Citadel leader and GP Dr Laura Neilson said: “This was genuinely a surprise to us, it was genuinely a shock to get the news of the decision.

"And I think it was a shock to the NHS as well, it’s definitely been a shock to the community.

“This building is a little bit small for us and we’ve got more people wanting to join the list and we’re trying to provide more services for the community.

"We want to carry on being as creative and innovative as we can be, we would hope to be moving to a bigger site."

UNCERTAIN FUTURE

The centre now faces an uncertain future as the surgery's lease is now set to expire in October 2025.

Dr Neilson previously told the : "We need to find somewhere to move to that's local to our population, ideally slightly bigger and around a mile away."

However, doctors fear they could be left with no surgery as GP practices can take around "three or four years to build".

The GP and medical centre boss added: “The timescale is very tight between now and October. There is a conversation going on with Lidl as to can whether that timescale be pushed pack a bit.

“Even if we find a building and the NHS funding comes through really quickly, it was refurbished and all the rooms went in, it would still be really tight.

"There are a number of organisations looking at what land and sites are available.

“Hopefully there will be a solution out of the community. I don’t have a site at the moment."

'OUTSTANDING SERVICE'

Hawthorn is known for its outstanding rating by the Care Quality Commission.

The walk-in centre, which operates seven days a week, has been serving thousands of locals since its first opened a decade ago by Hope Citadel.

It features a GP practice, a car park and various spaces for ambulances.

The German retailer first gained planning permission to redevelop the site in 2021 at Fallowfield retail park.

But two years on, Lidl has been given the green light to demolish the site, according to reports.

Lidl said in a statement: “We have been in close conversation with the medical centre regarding the plans for Fallowfield Retail Park.

“A significant notice period has been agreed to help ensure that the local community can continue to access this important provision whilst plans are explored for its relocation.

"We will endeavour to keep the community updated on plans as they progress.”

A council spokesperson said: "As part of a previous application, consent was granted for units to be demolished at the Fallowfield Retail Park to provide a new supermarket with the medical centre retained.

"This consent also included a parking provision for the medical centre and there was a clear expectation that the GPs would remain in situ.

"However, a prior approval application was received at the end of last year pertaining to the demolition of the medical centre - this is not a planning application.

"The council is being notified about the methodology of demolition only and is not in a position to reject the proposal.

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"We understand that the applicant is in communication with the medical centre and the council, with colleagues in the NHS, are in discussion about how the provision will be continued in the future."

The Sun Online has contacted Manchester Council, Lidl and Hawthorn Medical Centre for comment.

Bosses said the deadline to find a new site is 'tight'
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Bosses said the deadline to find a new site is 'tight'Credit: MEN Media
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