A MEDICAL centre may still move on to a retail site after health chiefs resumed talks with a developer, it has emerged.

Talks between the Millfield Court site’s developers Orbit and St Helens Clinical Care Commissioning Group have reopened since the publication of a planning application that suggested the proposals to relocate Eccleston Medical Centre were dead.

It means, despite the CCG's statement last week that appeared to put paid to the plans, there is still hope that the centre could move to the development.

Eccleston Medical Centre is currently housed in the car park of Christ Church on Chapel Lane.

A planning application had stated that despite best attempts from both sides, the development would move forward without the healthcare facility and instead comprise of five units on the ground level and eight first-floor apartments.

Senior Development Manager at Orbit Development, Paul Hubball said: “Orbit Developments submitted a revised planning application for the development of a second building at Millfields Court; such application to provide five new retail units with apartments above.

“Subsequent to the revised planning application I can advise that the CCG has reopened discussions with us to negotiate a smaller scale surgery, which is under consideration pending further details.”

Professor Sarah O’Brien, Clinical Chief Executive at NHS St Helens CCG said: "Plans for the new development are still in progress at the site originally identified at Millfields with the same developers.

“NHS St Helens CCG are continually working with Eccleston Medical Centre to ensure that the proposed new build meets the needs of both patients and staff at the agreed location.”

This is the second development at the site of Millfields Court, where a Sainsbury’s, White Cross Vets and 10 apartments have been erected.

The site is the former location of Pilkington’s Eccleston Works, and is one of the largest brownfield development sites in the borough.