Health service future for old Boots chemist building

The Health Select Commission is being updated on the proposal to turn the disused building at 42–46 Effingham Street into a two-phase 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 considered by Rotherham 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 areas like Barnsley.

The council acquired the former Boots site, empty since 2022 in May last year, after a wider push to take over underused town centre properties as part of its regeneration efforts.

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 finance 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.

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.