Plans unveiled for new NHS health centre in Rotherham’s former Boots store

The Health Select Commission will this week be updated on the proposal to turn the disused building at 42–46 Effingham Street into a Town Centre Health Hub, starting with the relocation of Abbey Pharmacy and potentially expanding to offer a range of walk-in NHS services.

The plans will be formally considered by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council’s cabinet on July 7. If approved, the development would mark a significant step in bringing health services directly into the heart of the town centre, in a move echoing successful schemes in neighbouring Barnsley.

The council acquired the former Boots site, which has stood empty since 2022 in May last year, after a wider push to take over underused town centre properties as part of its regeneration efforts. It has since been used for storage and temporary offices but now stands poised for a more permanent role.

Phase one of the project would see Abbey Pharmacy relocate from Howard Street, freeing up space ahead of redevelopment works at the Indoor Covered Market, due to begin in February 2026.

Phase two would involve refurbishing the rest of the large three-storey building to accommodate GP and other health services, directly accessible to the public. Council officers say they are already in talks with healthcare providers interested in occupying the space.

To pay for the works, the council proposes reallocating funds from the Pathfinder Programme, originally earmarked for a town centre music venue. Around £1.3 million would fund phase one, with a further £400,000 to support feasibility studies and detailed designs for the second phase.

The hope is that centralising health services in a prominent location could both ease pressure on existing NHS facilities and boost footfall in the town centre, a benefit highlighted in a Barnsley case study referenced in the report.

Barnsley’s community diagnostic centre in the Glassworks is credited with attracting an extra 150,000 visitors annually, driving £1.5 million in extra spending and reducing missed appointments due to its proximity to public transport.

Located near the soon to be revamped markets and new library, the Effingham Street site is seen as ideal for similar success in Rotherham. The building’s current derelict appearance has been described as a “negative visual impact” in the town centre.

The commission will be asked to support the Cabinet’s expected recommendations to move forward with phase one, unlock the initial funding, and enter negotiations with interested health providers for the wider second phase.