A FORMER East end hospital will become the new health and social care hub costing at least £40 million.

At the city administration committee on Thursday, councillors agreed the old Parkhead Hospital and Health Centre was the preferred site for the development in a bid to regenerate the area.

This was followed by Tollcross Road, Springfield Road and Lightburn Hospital.

The project is expected to cost between £40 and £47 million and will require investment from the Scottish Government as there is no provision for the development in the council’s financial plan.

Glasgow City Council will work with the newly created Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) to ensure the city becomes healthier, services focus on prevention and early intervention and citizens start taking care of their health and wellbeing.

It is hoped this will reduce the need and cost for east end residents to travel to  other hospitals for some outpatient appointments.

Health and social care staff will be required to relocate to the new hub or to alternative locations.

There will be an ongoing engagement with them as part of the development process.

While the hub is created there will be opportunities for people to obtain experience working in construction related roles.

Speaking at the committee councillor Thomas Kerr said: “I fully welcome the announcement of a business plan regarding the new health and social care hub in the East End and am delighted with the recommendation for it to be located within Parkhead.

“This new hub will help build into a regeneration of this area of the city which is badly needed, across from the hub sits Parkhead Forge which is in desperate need of more footfall.

“This new hub, along with the exciting plans in the Parkhead Charrette and calls from myself and John Mason MSP for a train station at Parkhead, could reenergise and reinvent this area of the East End.”

The project will now proceed to the next stage and design options will be developed for the site as part of the outline business case process.