A leading councillor has expressed his concerns over delays in bringing a new super GP surgery to Sydney

Health chiefs agreed in 2024 to fund a plan to relocate Lydney Health Centre and Severnbank Surgery to the former Co-op site in Newerne Street but Councillor Alan Preest says he is frustrated over the continued delays and the news the proposed site is now being advertised by a local estate agent.

Despite his concerns NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board bosses say they “remain fully committed to the development”.

Cllr Priest however said he finds the lack of progress disappointing. “There’s something up,” Cllr Preest said. “They said they would let us know in January and it is now March.”

“The money had been allocated for this facility back in 2024, they said in the June meeting,” he said.

“We expected them to move forward. But it seems they’ve gone back on their word every time and are making excuses.

“The buck’s got to stop with somebody. At the end of the day it’s the people in the communities who are going to suffer.

“They took the hospital off us in Lydney and made the facility at Cinderford.

“They deprived us of a hospital in the town. The town’s grown quite disproportionately to the infrastructure in the last dozen years and we just don’t seem to be getting the facilities.

“The doctors’ surgeries are doing a tremendous job but come on, we deserve better than this.

“We need to have proper facilities in the Forest of Dean for this enormous amount of housing that is either on the cards or has already been built.

“I wish they’d give me a straight answer.”

An NHS Gloucestershire ICB spokesperson said they remain fully committed to the development but if the current plans are not possible to progress they will work to develop alternative proposals.

“In June 2024, NHS Gloucestershire approved plans for two GP surgeries (Lydney Health Centre and Severnbank Surgery) to relocate to a preferred location in Lydney, subject to them purchasing the site, obtaining any necessary planning permission and completing a successful construction tender, which would all be required to progress and complete their project.

“Along with their own selected third-party development partner (who will fund the capital costs of the scheme), both surgeries plan to transform the former Co-op building on Newerne Street into a modern primary care centre,” they said.

“The practice and their development partner Assura are now responsible for progressing the plans. We are seeking assurance from Assura and the practices that they are on track with their updated plan.

“Gloucestershire Health and Care Foundation NHS Trust are also expected to co-locate a range of services in the building. This is aligned with this project timeline but subject to GHC’s approval processes.

“NHS Gloucestershire remains fully committed to the development and is continuing to provide financial support to the practices.

“Should it not be possible for the current plans to progress, the development of new facilities will remain a priority and we will work with the practices to develop alternative proposals.”

A spokesperson for Assura said they recognise the importance of the new medicla centre to the community and their desire to see it come to fruition.

“We can confirm we are fully committed to working with all stakeholders to move it forward at pace,” he said.

“We continue to work closely with the ICB, GPs and other parties to navigate various challenges and progress key elements including the technical design, funding and legal agreements.

“The process for acquiring the site is proceeding as expected and the scheme remains on target to achieve a start on site early 2027.”

In February 2025 The Forester reported that work could start on the much-delayed “super surgery” for Lydney by the end of the year.

At the time chief executive of the Gloucestershire Integrated Health Board, Mary Hutton, said its development partner, Assura, was“working through the process”, with Lydney councillor, Alan Preest, expressing frustration at the delay to the £7.5 million project saying councillors were informed in February 2024 building work would start in early 2025 with the site opening in 2026.