Bedford Borough Council Executive has approved a business case allocating £5.5 million towards a new GP surgery in Wixams – but official papers show the project still depends on several external decisions before it can proceed.
At last night’s Executive meeting (Wednesday, 10 December), councillors welcomed the proposal, citing years of pressure from residents.
Wixams and Wilstead ward councillor, Graeme Coombes (Conservative) said: “Access to a GP should not be just a nice to have, or some sort of luxury, it should be a fundamental right.”
Mayor Tom Wootton (Conservative) told the meeting the issue had “united everybody” on the doorsteps during the election campaign.
Read: Councillors to discuss Wixams GP surgery’s “critical” business case
“It is just so wrong that people are sitting on a bus for hours and hours and hours because they have to go to Bedford, Bedford to Ampthill, Ampthill to Flitwick,” he said.
“We must deliver that service and we must get that on the way.”
The council’s report proposes a new purpose-built practice on Loverose Way, with initial cost estimates based on feasibility work undertaken in 2024.
Updated figures are expected once a new feasibility study for the revised site is completed in early 2026.
Outstanding requirements
Although councillors described the announcement as progress, the supporting documents show the surgery will only proceed once several outstanding requirements are met.
These include securing Integrated Care Board (ICB) approval, agreeing an Agreement for Lease with GP providers, and receiving updated costings from the feasibility study.
The report also warns of risks, including higher construction costs, limited ICB revenue funding, and the need to agree the transfer of £560,000 in existing Section 106 health contributions currently held by Central Bedfordshire Council.
Further agreements will need to be made between Bedford Borough Council and Central Bedfordshire Council and the ICB that any future Section 106 money comes to Bedford Borough Council.
Section 106 agreements are legal agreements with developers that can include contributions towards infrastructure, local services and facilities.
Councillor Martin Towler (Conservative, Riseley), the portfolio holder for health, said: “We are expecting the developers Urban and Civic to provide and update a feasibility study in early ’26, which will enable us to confirm these details and produce an up-to-date set of costs.
But he also noted that healthcare systems “don’t get invited to a lot of the meetings” when major developments happen, saying the sector “loses out big time.”
Under the current timeline, construction is not expected to begin until 2027, with completion in 2028/29.
by John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
