A NEW £1.8million health centre is finally set to open in Blackburn after work was put on hold for 18 months.

The Infirmary Waterside Health and Wellbeing Centre was meant to launch in July 2009. It is set to eventually cater for more than 6,000 patients.

Construction had stalled because of uncertainty over the availability of funding, and questions about what services should be provided within the building.

But health chiefs say these problems have now been resolved and that the centre will be open by 'early summer'.

Sir Bill Taylor, Blackburn with Darwen Care Trust Plus chairman, said: “We know residents in the Infirmary and the surrounding area have been eagerly awaiting the opening, and I am really pleased to say we have finally been given the funding and can go ahead.

“It will be a fantastic facility for the people living in this much transformed area of the borough. We will keep you updated as this progresses.”

It was originally suggested that an existing GP practice located nearby could move into the facilities, at the junction of Infirmary Street and Moseley Street.

But the trust said it was now looking to bring a new GP practice into the centre, a process which it said should be complete within 'a few weeks'.

Featuring six consulting rooms and a walk-in centre, the building is intended to tackle a shortage of doctors and cater for residents brought to the Infirmary area by housing regeneration projects.

Discussions are ongoing about whether the building should boast extra services like an NHS dental surgery or podiatry clinic.

Labour ward councillor for Ewood, Maureen Bateson, said the announcement was “another step in the transformation of the Infirmary area”.

She said: “Residents have been waiting a long time and they will be pleased the wait is nearly over.

“We have been lobbying hard for this especially when the scheme looked like it was to be another victim of the cuts.”

Once complete the Infirmary centre will support the town's new £21million health centre on land off Barbara Castle Way, which is due to open in November.