Work may start as soon as April

Jan 2 2008 by Laura Wright, South Wales Echo

WORK to rebuild a doctors’ surgery that was gutted by a blaze could begin as early as April.

The North Cardiff Medical Centre, in Thornhill, was destroyed by fire when arsonists set rubbish bins alight and pushed them up to the building.

Planning permission for a new surgery is being sought along with appropriate funding. Dr Haydn Mayo, partner at Thornhill Surgery, said: “If all goes well, we would like to commence construction in April to May time and hope to open in early 2009.”

After the fire, which happened in August, doctors were forced to use a smaller branch surgery in Thornhill Road. But in November, they moved into a temporary building in November next to Thornhill community centre.

The gutted surgery, in Excalibur Drive, has now been demolished.

The temporary surgery has two treatment rooms and six consulting rooms for the 10 doctors and eight nurses.

Dr Mayo, of Penarth, said: “Staying in the community was important for us so we are glad to be there. It’s very comfortable and has certainly eased the pressure we had in the branch surgery with people being on top of each other, it was very cramped.

“We were trying to deliver as normal a service as we could but we were restrained and had to delay some minor monitoring, but we are back on track now. We’ve had lots of feedback and everybody says it is really fantastic.

“We had a hard 2007. Last year we wouldn’t have thought we would have had to deal with what we have but we’ve had a lot of great help from lots of different people.

“Everything does look good for the New Year now.”

laura.wright@mediawales.co.uk