NEW healthcare facilities will come a step closer for Thornhill residents with the demolition of their old clinic next month.

The former Thornhill clinic site in Farringford Road is to be redeveloped in a £1.5m joint project between the government's New Deal for Communities, Southampton City Primary Care Trust (PCT) and Thornhill Surgery.

The project is the first major capital building programme under the New Deal for Communities.

A new two-storey clinic, linked to the surgery, will provide one-stop healthcare for residents.

The project has been in the pipeline since 2001, when Thornhill was given almost £50m to be spent over ten years to help give the community a fresh start.

The old clinic consisted of just one room and offered limited services. It was closed in September last year in preparation for the new project, with a temporary clinic being set up at the Eastpoint Centre in Burgoyne Road.

Land for the new clinic has been leased for a peppercorn rent for the good of the Thornhill community by Dr Amrik Benning of Thornhill Surgery.

Due to open early next year, the clinic will offer a range of healthcare services in areas including child and adolescent mental health, contraception and sexual health, speech and language therapy, and dietetic and community paediatrics.

The clinic will also have two fully-equipped dental surgeries, a health education room with smoking cessation services and health and well-being forums, and services for health visiting services including health assessments and a well baby clinic.

Other features of the new building will include improved waiting areas and disabled access, a "play and stay" children's area with protected outdoor garden, and exterior landscaping.

Thornhill New Deal for Communities director Dave Kellett said: "The people of Thornhill have waited a long time for this and we are delighted that at long last the first step to providing an integrated service for them is here."

Carl Pender, project manager at Southampton City Primary Care Trust, said: "We are really pleased to be involved in this project to improve health services for the people of Thornhill.

"This is a major project that will see a variety of health services provided from this building, including GPs, dentists and health visitors.

"We are grateful to Dr Benning, who has been closely involved with the project and who has given over land to the PCT, enabling the build to go ahead."