One of the largest LIFT closures in England was announced on Wednesday 1st November, for two Joint Service Centres to be completed by MaST LIFTCo, Salford Primary Care Trust and Salford City Council.
For the first time, this Close featured three local law firms – Halliwells for MaST LIFTCo, Addleshaw Goddard for the public sector and George Davies & Co for property sales. 

The £17m three storey centre in Pendleton will be located next to Broadwalk, close to local housing and shops. Once the centre is completed in 2008 it will house 7 GP’s and provision of a range of NHS services especially designed on services for children and young persons. A Salford City Centre ‘One Stop Shop’, Community rooms plus a Café. The Broadwalk Adult and Children’s Libraries will be also housed within the centre.

In Walkden the £12m three storey centre will be as impressive as Pendleton centre; it will be based on Bolton Road close to shops and businesses. The centre will be constructed on a previously derelict site and will house a GP Practice, Salford City Council ‘One Stop Shop’, community rooms and a café. The scheduled completion date will be in 2008. Walkden Clinic and Walkden Adult and Children’s Libraries will be transferred to the new joint service centre.

Also included in both joint service centres will be Dental surgeries, this is excellent for the people of Salford. In Walkden there will be two surgeries providing NHS dentistry under a PDS contract. Pendleton will have a total of six surgeries which will provide modern facilities for Salford community dental services.

Richard Groome, Chief Executive of MaST LIFTCo, saw this as the culmination of many initiatives in Salford and a sea change in local health and council services provision, close to the community Centres. He praised all members of the project teams for their hard work and persistence.

These two new schemes now bring the total of four LIFT developments either completed or under development within Salford. There are plans for two further LIFT schemes in Eccles and Swinton announcements on both schemes will be made in the near future.