Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con)

- Hansard -

Good morning, Mr Speaker. I am delighted, at just after half-past midnight, to present this petition from the residents of Rushden in Northamptonshire and the surrounding areas, which concerns the redevelopment of a hospital site. Some 25% of the people in Rushden petitioned me to have an NHS facility on that site, but the local NHS has decided to put houses on it.

The petition states:

To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled.

The Humble Petition of residents of Rushden, Northamptonshire and the surrounding areas,

Sheweth that the proposed redevelopment of the Rushden Hospital site for housing is unpopular, ill-advised and detrimental to the residents of Rushden; that over 25% of the residents of Rushden petitioned the House of Commons for a new outpatient facility in the town, the majority wanting the new facility on the Rushden hospital site; that the proposal to build housing on the site instead of an NHS facility is unacceptable and the impact on the surrounding roads of a large housing development and the density of the development and the proposed cut-through to the Greenacre Drive Estate is wholly detrimental to local residents.

Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House urges the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to urge the Department of Health to withdraw the planning application and further urges him to request that the District Council of East Northamptonshire and the County Council and the Primary Care Trust work together to provide a suitable health facility on the site.

And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, etc.

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