A COMMUNITY group hoping to develop land around a Powys hospital and transform it into a wellbeing park say they have been battling a “conspiracy of silence”.

The Bronllys Well Being Park Community Land Trust Ltd is a 600-strong member organisation hoping to create an inclusive facility at Bronllys Community Hospital.

The group says a wellbeing park was actually a proposal made by Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHB) nearly a decade ago – but now health chiefs refuse to meet with them.

The health board has hit back, claiming no land at the hospital site is surplus to requirements, so it is not in a position to transfer any land to the group.

A document, entitled ‘The BWBP Story’, was sent to first minister Mark Drakeford and other government and community leaders at the beginning of the month – setting out the group’s difficulties in dealing with the health board over the last 10 years.

President of the group, Lydia Powell, said the document also demonstrates the persistent refusal of PTHB to meet with the BWBP – even though their proposals have gained support from the likes of iconic Welsh actor Michael Sheen.

“After all the support for our proposals, I’m really shocked that Powys Teaching Health Board still refuses to even discuss them,” said Lydia.

“They simply ignore our requests for a meeting, despite the wellbeing park being the health board’s own proposal way back in 2014. Increasingly, people I speak to are saying there must be something else planned for the beautiful site.

“A few years ago it was the threat of an executive housing development and the closure of Bronllys Hospital. What are the trustees of the health board keeping from us now?.

“Their response so far has been deeply disappointing. It feels like a conspiracy of silence, it really does.”

Since the wide distribution of the BWBP Story, the health board has actually been in touch with the group – outgoing PTHB chair Viv Harpwood replied to the release of the BWBP Story, but it left the group fearing that it carried with it a veiled threat of legal action.

“Our campaign will continue, despite these scare tactics,” added Lydia. “We are determined to ensure the communities’ needs are met and their wishes honoured.

“We are incredibly frustrated by what feels like a slap in the face for the community. The only recourse we have now is to bring out into the open what we regard as an extremely undemocratic stance by PTHB.”

“We’ve been trying for years to get around a table with them,” added BWBP chair Jacqui Wilding.

“Ironically, our ideas are very similar to their own proposals in 2014, following the Prince's Foundation report on the future of the site. We fear there are undisclosed plans PTHB is reluctant to reveal as it is fearful of public condemnation.

“We have to remember this is a community asset, albeit owned by NHS Estates. Our proposals bring together hard-won experience from elsewhere in the country and are not fanciful or unrealistic.”

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The vision of the BWBP group is to create and deliver a ground-breaking community asset inspired and owned by local people.

The main facilities at Bronllys Community Hospital, located in the village of Bronllys, between Llyswen and Talgarth, currently include: outpatient facilities, inpatient general and medical ward (Llewellyn Ward), an inpatient adult mental health ward as well as therapy services.

The proposed campus would feature essential health services, comprising of the adult mental health unit, ambulance station, concert hall, day hospital, pain clinic, rehabilitation and physiotherapy, services for people with learning difficulties, as well as other specialist wards and Powys Teaching Health Board headquarters, together with a telehealth centre to support technology enabled care services as required.

The flagship project could also feature assets such as community-lead housing, co-care housing, homes for people with neurological needs, a community transport hub with a plug-in hybrid and electric vehicle centre, an international cycling and sports centre meeting place and the chapel renovation and refurbishment.

With ideas for neurological care, a cafe, shop, office, community hire, restore and repair shop, nursery, orchard, therapy room, conference centre, cancer support, shepherd huts, respite retreats, solar energy tunnel, a wetland habitat, wildlife pond and sports facilities like tennis, netball and wellbeing walks, the possibilities, not to mention depth of the project, are endless.

Owned by the local community, it is hoped it would provide sustainable and genuinely affordable housing and transport, work and leisure opportunities, health and well-being amenities, while also encouraging young people from Powys to remain in the area.

The group claims promises by the health board to review the Bronllys site in 2018 – with full local engagement – have not been met or implemented to date; this despite the fact PTHB insists it has an exemplary record in community consultation.

County Times: Basil Webb Hall - part of Bronllys Hospital . The building has been redeveloped to become a health and care academy Basil Webb Hall - part of Bronllys Hospital . The building has been redeveloped to become a health and care academy

A spokesperson for Powys Teaching Health Board said: “The health board has been entrusted with a great privilege and responsibility as the custodian of NHS land and buildings for the benefit of the people of Powys.

“We are fully committed to the entirety of the Bronllys Hospital site for health and care purposes. No land at the hospital site has been identified as surplus to NHS requirements, which means that we are not in a position to consider a transfer to the land trust, and also that we have categorically no plans to dispose of land for commercial purposes.

“Senior managers from the health board have had frequent discussions with the land trust over the years. Our commitment to the Bronllys Hospital site was reaffirmed at a meeting of the board in 2019. In correspondence with the land trust since that time we have continued to confirm this position and that no land is surplus.

“Bronllys Hospital has a bright future and has seen a wide range of recent developments. The repatriation of mental health services means that more services are provided within Powys, reducing the need to travel outside the county.

“We have established a new facility for integrated autism services. Several buildings that had previously been mothballed have been brought back into use for clinical and administrative services.

“The hospital is home to a Covid-19 vaccination centre which has been so vital to the county over the last two years.

“Patients are benefiting from a greatly enhanced palliative suite funded in part by the League of Friends of Bronllys Hospital. And a new health and care academy means an exciting new role for the Basil Webb Hall and the Magpies building to bring learning and education closer to home and help us grow our own staff for the future.

“We look forward to continuing to work with local communities on the further development of Bronllys Hospital as a hub for health and care services to meet the needs of local communities.”