A key site for the redevelopment and regeneration of a west Suffolk town centre has been purchased by the district council. 

The former Stourview Medical Centre in Haverhill was put up for auction after previous occupants, Haverhill Family Practice, consolidated onto a single site at Camps Road. 

West Suffolk Council purchased the former doctor's surgery for £250,000 through the Investing in Growth Fun.

The former surgery had been identified as a key site for the redevelopment of the town centre. 

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Cabinet member for resources at West Suffolk Council Diane Hind said: "This is a site that presents significant development opportunities to help shape the future of Haverhill town centre. 

"By taking control we can work with partner organisations and look at how we best achieve benefits for the town centre economy and the communities in and around Haverhill."

The council said it is speaking to a number of possible tenants to bring more footfall and rental income and in the longer term the site could be redeveloped as part of a project to regenerate Jubilee Place. 

Councillor Diane Hind, cabinet member for resources at West Suffolk CouncilDiane Hind, cabinet member for resources at West Suffolk Council (Image: Newsquest)

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Indy Wijenayaka, cabinet member for growth at West Suffolk Council, added: "We have acted swiftly to seize this opportunity so we have control over how the future regeneration of this site is developed. 

"In the short term we will look to swiftly secure partner tenants who will bring social and economic benefits to the town centre as well as further footfall.

“In the longer term this will enable us to look at some of the possibilities that a commercial developer would likely ignore, making improvements to the public realm that will benefit the wider town centre supporting our strategic priority for sustainable growth of the town centre, as well as creating a more attractive environment supporting the town centre as a place of social activity to help our communities to thrive.”