DEVELOPMENT of the £64.3 million state-of-the-art health and social care hub in the East End could begin next year with the facility opening in 2024.

A pre-planning application for the facility, which will be developed on the former Parkhead Hospital, was presented to council planning chiefs this week.

It comes after the Glasgow Times revealed the plans in June.

The centre will offer a range of services including GPs, a community pharmacy, child services, adult care, mental health, addictions, criminal justice, and homelessness services.

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Rory McCoy, from Hoskins Architects, said: “The development will have community facilities including the relocated Parkhead Library.

“The local community have been heavily involved as well as the planning and roads department.

“The aim is to encourage better integration between the health and social care disciplines both in terms of the staff and people accessing those facilities.

“There will also be training spaces for staff all across the city. The building is flexible and adaptable both in terms of its daily operation and future expansion which might be designed.

“It will offer a safe and secure space for all users creating a caring environment and making sure we don’t look like an institutional building.

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“It is very much to be an open and welcoming place and a building which creates a sense of civic pride and is a landmark for the local area.

“The site is currently occupied by the now closed Parkhead Hospital. We have completed the community consultation. Normally we would be in a community hall but this year we had a dedicated website with an animation of the proposal with online feedback.

“We had two live chat events for people to ask questions. We will keep the existing centre open while the new one is built.

“Construction of the new health centre will begin in the third quarter of next year with the existing health centre remaining open. The new health centre will open in 2024 with demolition of the former buildings.”