UPDATE: Sale of former Dartmouth and Kingswear Community Hospital and Dartmouth Clinic

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust has listed the site of the former Dartmouth and Kingswear Community Hospital and the former Dartmouth Clinic for auction this July.

The former healthcare sites, which are no longer used for healthcare, "need to be sold to help fund the recently opened £5.4million health and wellbeing centre at the top of the town".

A spokesperson for Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust said: "This provided a new home for the GP practice and community nurses, therapists, social care workers and a number of community clinics as well as Dartmouth Caring and a pharmacy.

"The new centre supports a much more joined-up approach to health and wellbeing services for local people in state-of-the-art, purpose-designed facilities.

"The properties were previously for sale through Montagu Evans and while a preferred buyer was approved by the Board of Directors, the sale has not progressed as the preferred buyer was unable to exchange and complete."

Liz Davenport, Chief Executive of Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust: “We fully recognise that the former hospital has been a focal point within the town for many years and that local people have a deep interest in its future.

"It is unfortunate that the preferred buyer was unable to exchange and complete the sale and we have, therefore, taken the decision to list both properties for auction with a reserve price in line with the NHS Estate Code.

“We would like to reiterate our thanks to Dartmouth Town Council for working with us over the past few years to ensure we deliver best social value to the people and communities of Dartmouth and the surrounding area as we seek to dispose of the properties and fund our investment in the new health and wellbeing centre.”

Image: Chris Downer / Dartmouth: the hospital