A MANAGEMENT team is now in place to oversee the development of Selby’s new hospital and civic centre.

The Selby Community Project, as the project is known, is a joint venture between North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust and Selby District Council, working with organisations like North Yorkshire County Council and York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The project has already received Government backing And the tender process for the project management role has now been undertaken and a decision made.

Companies were assessed against a range of criteria relating to quality of work, previous experience and cost effectiveness, and the PCT and district council have now jointly agreed to appoint Turner & Townsend to oversee the day-to-day management of the scheme.

Coun Brian Percival, deputy leader of Selby Council, said: “This is a large and complex scheme and, as such, we need to ensure that we have the right people in place to make sure it can be completed on time, for the money we’ve got and to the highest standards – that’s why we’ve decided to appoint a project management team, with previous experience of working on health and local authority projects.

“We’ve recently undertaken a thorough assessment process before deciding on the company to use, to ensure they’re able to successfully complete the project on our behalf.

“The Community Project will be hugely beneficial to people living in the Selby area, because it will enable us to work more efficiently and cost-effectively with our colleagues from other organisations delivering key services to our residents.”

One of the first tasks for the project management team will be to draw up a full timetable for the development.

It is anticipated the new hospital will be built first, on land adjacent to the existing site at Doncaster Road, in Selby, to be followed by the new civic centre building on the site of the existing hospital. Both elements of the building will be linked.