Work underway on new Community Health and Wellbeing Facility in Wrexham

Some building works have started on Crown Buildings on Chester Street in the town centre, which is part of an exciting new project to transform the ground floor of the old building into the new facility.

With the help of funding from the Welsh Government, the space will provide integrated health, social care, third sector and community services.

The aim is to make it easier for people, families and carers of all ages to access information, advice and support.

Wrexham’s Community Health and Wellbeing Facility is a partner project between Wrexham Council, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and AVOW.

It will build on, rather than duplicate services that are already available in the town centre and other local areas.

The space will act as the central location for a range of accessible facilities, allowing people and families with wide ranging support needs to become more involved with community services as well as having easy access to preventative information and advice.

The facility aims to form links with other agencies and support routes in order to provide a range of information, advice and support for people, families and carers.

The upper floors of the building will become a base for social care staff helping to deliver children’s and adult’s services, as well as becoming the new location for the council's education and early intervention department.

Cllr Mark Pritchard, leader of Wrexham Council, said: “This new Community Health and Wellbeing Facility will make it easier for people, families and carers to access information, advice and support.

"The design proposals are important as they will significantly improve the building’s energy performance, with the focus being on a ‘fabric first’ approach to improve the overall thermal efficiency of the building envelope.

"There will also be photovoltaic panels on the roof area to reduce carbon emissions and further improve the building’s carbon footprint.

"It’s an exciting project which will have a positive impact on the community and transform the old building into a space which will make a difference to the lives of people living and working in Wrexham."

Cllr Andrew Atkinson, lead member for children’s services, said: "This is a really exciting project which will benefit everyone in Wrexham.

"It will provide better access to professionals for the public and a more flexible and agile approach to provision.

"Children and families will also benefit from better access to improved facilities in a town centre location, promoting equality by ensuring that people with specific needs can access the same town centre facilities as all other families."

The design proposals will significantly improve the building’s energy performance, which has been a key driver for the scheme from the outset.

Working closely with the contractor and their designers the focus has been on a 'fabric first' approach to improve the overall thermal efficiency of the building envelope to reduce carbon emissions.

The roof area will be fully utilised to house a substantial array of photovoltaic panels, which will further improve the building’s carbon footprint through on-site renewable energy production.

Once complete the building will be brought up to an estimated ‘B’ rating which would demonstrate a significant reduction in carbon emissions and performance comparable with many new build projects.

Karen Evans, assistant director for community services at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, stated that the development of the facility will provide new opportunities for people to access health and wellbeing information, advice and services in a holistic way.

She said: "We are delighted to be working collaboratively to design the environment and service offer within the facility and look forward to providing health and wellbeing services here in the near future."

The works will take up to 18 months to complete with Wrexham Community Health and Wellbeing Facility hoping to be open to the public in early 2022.