WORK could start on building a new health centre in Coleford in the autumn and discussions are about to restart on a replacement surgery for Lydney. The latest position was set out in a wide ranging discussion about health in the district as the Forest Voluntary Health Forum revealed the responses to its “Big Health Survey” at Lydney Town Hall on Monday.

Both schemes would see two practices brought under one roof – Coleford Family Doctors with the Brunston and Lydbrook practice and Lydney and Severnbanks. Gina Mann, a project manager with GDoc the company behind the plans, said the final legal agreement for the Coleford centre was on the verge of being signed.

She said: “The documents are with the lawyers as we speak, “It could be signed over the next couple of weeks, which would then mean we would start construction in October.”

She said the Co-op, which owns the proposed site of the new health centre, had been in touch as recently as last Friday. “Hopefully we’ve now got movement again and we can start those discussions...It's been rather frustrating but we've got an agreement on the building plans now.”