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NHS Estates Options Appraisal

This is a public-facing summary of the alternative sites considered. The summary draws on a more detailed NHS-commissioned Options Appraisal undertaken by independent consultants, WSP, together with subsequent discussions and professional advice. Sites were assessed against objective NHS estates criteria, including availability, deliverability, affordability, proximity to the existing practice, patient access, planning constraints, site size, timescale and other criteria.

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Sensitive third-party details have been omitted. Please note that just because a site was considered, this does not mean the site was available, or that the landlord was necessarily approached. However, for many of the sites listed below, extensive discussions have taken place with the relevant public- and private-sector landowners or occupiers, in addition to professional advice from architects and specialist primary care surveyors.

Option
Viability Assessment
High-Level Rationale
1.     Do nothing
Carried forward for comparison
Included as a baseline option in line with Treasury appraisal guidance, but does not address the urgent local NHS estates need.
2.     WGS relocating to Willesden Centre for Health and Care (WCHC)
Not viable
Outside of practice catchment area. Not available - vacant space already allocated to XXX (name of practice redacted)
3.     WGS + Willesden Centre for Health and Care (WCHC) rooms
Not viable
Not available - vacant space already allocated to XXX (name of practice redacted). Outside of practice catchment area for long term solution
4.     WGS + rooms in the current Gladstone Centre.
Not viable
Condition of current Gladstone building not fit for use. Very limited space in the current Gladstone building to meet the significant need
5.     New build at the Gladstone Centre
Viable option
Close proximity to current location (Anson Road). Long term solution for the local NHS estates crisis. Would provide modern, fit-for-purpose NHS premises together with new community space. Currently a disused pre-war public-sector developed site in Brent
6.     New build at 96-100 Shoot Up Hill
Not viable
Full architectural plans developed - business case rejected by the NHS in 2022 due to unaffordability of acquiring private land.
7.     New build at 133 Dartmouth Road or other local residential sites
Not viable
Privately owned site; not considered deliverable within NHS affordability constraints or District Valuer value-for-money requirements.Site not large enough
8.     WGS and XXX new build at the Gladstone Centre (name of second practice redacted)
Previously preferred option in 2023.
The larger two-practice scheme was explored but was not deliverable within available NHS funding at the time. The current proposal is for WGS only. Co-location of two Practices with some of least amount of space per patient in North West London. Long term solution for the local NHS.
9.     New build at Cricklewood Station House
Not viable
Site not available. Privately owned site; not considered deliverable within NHS affordability constraints or District Valuer value-for-money requirements.Located in Barnet, not Brent
10.  New build at Cricklewood Green
Not viable
Land not available. Designated asset of community value. Located in Barnet, not Brent
11.  New build sharing the site with XXX on 81 Anson Road (name of organisation redacted)
Not viable
Architects advised that suitable disabled and ambulance access could not be provided due to constraints associated with the private access road leading to the site. Privately owned site; not considered deliverable within NHS affordability constraints or District Valuer value-for-money requirements. Site constraints related to size. Site occupied by XXX for parking provision during the week (name of organisation using the site for parking redacted). The site is also in active use by the landowner at weekends (name of organisation redacted).
12.  New build at the Hope Centre, 228 Walm Lane
Not viable
Not available – actively occupied by XXX (XXX School) on a long lease (name of organisation/school redacted). Privately owned site; not considered deliverable within NHS affordability constraints or District Valuer value-for-money requirements.
13.  New build at Wotton Works
Not viable
Privately owned site; not considered deliverable within NHS affordability constraints or District Valuer value-for-money requirements.
14.  New build at Theme Traders, Production Village, Oaklands Rd
Not viable
Site not available. Privately owned site; not considered deliverable within NHS affordability constraints or District Valuer value-for-money requirements.
15.  New build in one of the new Cricklewood residential developments
Not viable
None available for GP space in the practice catchment area, both Brent and Barnet NHS Estates teams contacted.
16.  Relocation to St Gabriel’s Church
Not viable
Site not available
17.  Relocation to Cricklewood Lodge or The Windmill
Not viable
Sites not available. Privately owned site; not considered deliverable within NHS affordability constraints or District Valuer value-for-money requirements.
18.  WGS + current landlord’s garden or residential flats above WGS (name of current landlord redacted)
Not viable
Residential space above not available - occupied on a long lease. Residential rental rates not considered deliverable within NHS affordability constraints or District Valuer value-for-money requirements. The site is not large enough to meet the identified estates need.The garden is subject to significant site constraints. A proposed small modular building within the garden was not progressed following a Fire Safety Adviser’s assessment.
19.  Park Avenue North Substation, Marley Walk, NW2 4PY
Not viable
Privately owned site; not considered deliverable within NHS affordability constraints or District Valuer value-for-money requirements. Site heavily constrained by mature trees, transformer/substation infrastructure, railway-adjacent location and access limitations.
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