The health and wellbeing hub set to be built in the park and ride overflow car park has caused ongoing debate, with many worried about parking and economic implications.As previously agreed at the last full meeting of Dartmouth Town Council, a terms of reference was proposed by Cllr Ged Yardy to set up a health and welfare working group, aiming to solve the ongoing outcry for healthcare.

Cllr Yardy proposed that the group would include himself as chairman, Cllr Mandy Webber, Cllr David Wells, Cllr Rob Lyon, county Cllr Jonathan Hawkins, deputy leader of SHDC Cllr Hilary Bastone as well as a representative from both Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust and the NHS Devon Clinical Commissioning Group.

Cllr Yardy said: “I would like the audience to understand just what an impact losing that overflow car park will make on Dartmouth. It is crucial to the revenue, wealth of the businesses and job creation.”

Cllr Adam Edsall added that over the town’s festivals, the overflow car park is used extensively, and soon becomes “full to the gunnels”.

“This is a really vital space, and it’s really lazy, I think, of SHDC to just find a space that they think is under utilised and try to solve another problem with it. Because, this is a really big deal to this town."

He proposed that the councillors vote on a statement of opposition to the use of the overflow space, without an alternative being found, but the vote cannot take place yet due to council procedure.

Cllr Yardy continued: “I would encourage SHDC to comprehensively review the situation associated with parking and any healthcare solution.”

Cllr Maggie Baillie said that that developer Baker Estates identified an area on a map which they felt would be much more suitable for the centre. She asked her fellow councillors if it would be worth looking into, as the site is opposite Sainsbury’s.

Cllr Yardy stressed that this suggestion, along with others and including relevent evidence should be brought to a public meeting.

Cllr Richard Rendle expressed his support for healthcare in Dartmouth. He said: “The argument about where it goes at the moment is not the subject. The subject is we’ve lost the beds and we’ve lost the services."

Chairman of DAHAG, Mike Mills, informed the audience of his plans to organise a public meeting.

He later confirmed the meeting will be held on Thursday, June 27, at 6pm in the Guildhall.

More on the council meeting in this week’s Chronicle.