The much-anticipated Bridgwater Health and Care Academy is now expected to open in spring 2028, following a revised funding arrangement and construction timeline. The project, funded by a £19.7 million grant from the levelling up fund awarded by the former Conservative government in January 2023, is set to convert the former community hospital site on Salmon Parade into a modern training facility, along with a satellite site in Minehead.
Initial efforts have focused on the Minehead location, near the town’s new police station on Stephenson Road, while design and remedial work has been underway at the Bridgwater site. Somerset Council recently secured heads of terms agreements with local NHS officials, enabling the construction phase to commence once planning permission is granted.
However, the opening may be delayed until spring 2028 to accommodate an extension on the levelling up grant spending deadline permitted by the current Labour government. Councillor Sarah Wakefield, portfolio holder for adults' services, housing, and homelessness, highlighted the complexities and constraints surrounding the project during a council executive meeting in Taunton. She emphasized the importance of redeveloping the long-unused hospital building despite the challenges.
The hospital, located between the A38 Broadway and Eastover on Bridgwater’s Celebration Mile, is set to retain its original front entrance, with a new step-free main access planned from the western side. This entrance will feature 25 parking spaces and multiple cycle bays, complemented by an additional eastern access point.
The academy will provide nearly 3,000 square meters of space across three floors, accommodating up to 3,000 annual training sessions delivered by Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. Facilities will include training rooms, offices, outdoor learning areas, an early years centre, and an independent living centre designed to support people in staying in their homes longer through advanced technology.
Construction overseen by Somerset Council will be funded not only by the levelling up grant but also supplemented by £1.5 million from the Hinkley Point C regeneration fund and £630,000 from the Bridgwater Town Deal. Post-construction, the council will retain ownership of the building, while the NHS trust will manage staff recruitment, training delivery, and site maintenance.
The training programs will be commissioned by the NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board (ICB), ensuring strong collaboration between primary care, training hubs, and other local NHS services. Councillor Wakefield expressed enthusiasm for how the academy will bolster social care workforce skills and create new job opportunities across Somerset.
Sarah Green, ICB’s academy director, described the project as a unique chance to innovate workforce development to benefit both the local community and healthcare employees. Council leader Bill Revans, involved since the initial funding secured during his time on Sedgemoor District Council, welcomed progress, recognizing the building’s historic significance to Bridgwater residents and its potential to contribute to the town’s regeneration.
The full business case for the health and care academy is scheduled for review by the council’s executive committee in early June, with formal planning applications to be considered later this year by the planning committee north, which oversees major developments in the area.