New £143m mental health centre for Northern Trust area halted over funding uncertainty

The issue was highlighted at a meeting of the Trust board at Antrim Hospital on Thursday morning.

Dr Petra Corr, divisional director of mental health, learning disability and community well-being, said: “We have been working through a very significant period of planning to bring us to the end of stage three. I have to advise at this point that we should have been moving on to stage four.”

Dr Corr explained: “At this point, our plan and the proposal around the timeline of the building was that we would be receiving the building for commission on 31 December 2029 which is a delay already. We do not have the funding at this point in time to continue on to stage four.”

Dr Corr noted the “vulnerability of the project” adding that, as a result of the delay, she could not give an assurance on the project. However, she reported that although finances are “in a challenging position,”, it has not been “formally paused”.

Planning permission for Birch Hill Mental Health Centre, at Bush Road, in Antrim was approved by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council last June. At the time, it was expected to be completed by late 2028.

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A 134-bed development is being planned by the Trust to replace the existing Holywell Hospital in the town. The proposed new facility will also replace the Ross Thomson Unit, an 18-bed acute admission ward at Causeway Hospital, Coleraine.

The planned construction will comprise treatment wards, staff and visitor facilities, management and operational spaces, health and well-being facilities, external landscaping and gardens, car parking and servicing facilities.

Ground-floor en-suite rooms for patients have been designed to give direct access to safe outdoor space and facilitating ease of movement between departments. Links to nature and views towards the neighbouring countryside have been prioritised, to ensure the best possible environment to support recovery.

Glenn Houston, a non-executive Trust board member, described the current position as “disappointing, considering this has been through the board on many occasions” and there has already been “significant outlay committed to the project”.

Hugely Disappointing

“It would be hugely disappointing if we were to experience a long delay. I would urge the delay to be as short as possible. It would be hugely disappointing for the population of this Trust if we were not able to provide it.”

Mr Houston also stated: “Holywell remains a huge cost for us to maintain.” He indicated that this cost would amount to £28m “over the coming years to remain open”.

Meanwhile, no decision has been taken yet on the future of the Holywell Hospital premises which accommodate up to 400 staff members. It is a listed building which the Trust has a responsibility to maintain.

Holywell Hospital was built in 1898 to accommodate 1,000 patients with three ‘Tobernaveen’ wards opening in the 1950s. Holywell Hospital has approximately 116 acute in-patient beds.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter