Securing approval for a neighbourhood health centre
DATE: 2026 | LOCATION: LINCOLNSHIRE | PROJECT AREA: STRATEGY | PROJECT STATUS: COMPLETE
Lincolnshire ICB and Boston Borough Council wanted to tackle economic disparities, health inequalities and manage population growth in Boston, whilst respecting the town’s heritage, identity and community values.
The brief
Their objective was to build a new neighbourhood health centre to deliver integrated health and care services from a non-traditional healthcare setting to meet local population need, reduce pressure on acute services and improve equality of access by delivering care closer to home. Planned services include primary care, community dental and pharmacy services alongside a library and community space that will encourage collaborative working between service providers.
The solution
We delivered and project managed an HM Treasury-compliant draft Outline Business Case, plus a full planning application.
Although it’s unusual to go through the full planning process at OBC stage, the ICB wanted to get the design to a more advanced level of development to give additional clarity to the proposal and increase affordability and deliverability certainty.
The challenges
As well as delivering the draft OBC, we also appointed and managed the technical supply chain, including architects and BREEAM specialists.
Our Better Business Cases practitioners guided the client through development of the OBC, facilitating workshops to ensure early stakeholder alignment and buy in to the preferred option.
Stakeholder engagement
We navigated the complexities and stringent OBC requirements and planning process, securing planning approval. The draft business case is ready to be finalised once the capital funding source is confirmed.
Interested in primary care projects?
We established and ran the programme management office for South Yorkshire Primary Care Capital Programme, an ambitious £57.4m endeavour to deliver transformational change in community health across the region.
