What lies empty and costs taxpayers £120,000?

IT IS costing the taxpayer £120,000 a year to keep Ongar War Memorial Medical Centre empty, the Gazette can reveal.

Figures show that NHS England is spending £10,000 a month on the £5.7 million building, which has been unoccupied for more than 12 months.

The annual outlay, obtained under a Freedom of Information request, is enough to pay the wages of five junior doctors.

The centre is empty because doctors working out of the surgery in Bansons Lane, Ongar, have been unable to agree a lease with the NHS.

Surveyor Derek Spring, of Kettlebury Way, Marden Ash, said: "It is disgusting that the NHS can waste money in this way. The old hospital was a wonderful building and to knock it down and let the new go to waste is disgraceful.

"The practice at Bansons Lane should have moved in by now.

"When I found out it cost £120,000 a year, it just added insult to injury," the 77-year-old added.

"Whatever the issues are between the GPs and the NHS, they can't be worth this wastage."

Dr Hugh Taylor, GP Priniciple at the Bansons Lane practice, said: "The priority is making sure that patient services are provided safely and I don't want to say anything that may damage this process.

"We had a meeting with NHS England on Friday and I can report that we are working constructively together in order to move in this autumn.

"We need to make sure that all the Is are dotted and the Ts are crossed and this is something we are working towards."

He declined to comment on the issue of empty running costs, saying: "It will not impact on the process of getting closer to moving in."

Town councillor Brian Surtees, of Bowes Drive, is also concerned.

He said: "It is a shame that the place has remained empty as it is obviously a well-designed, and high quality facility.

"I am nearly at the point of saying, 'I will see it when I believe it' but that doesn't mean I think everyone involved isn't working hard.

"There must be considerable stumbling blocks in the way but it will be a good day for Ongar and the surrounding area when it eventually opens."

A spokesman for NHS England was unavailable for comment.

At the time of going to press, the NHS had not provided a breakdown of how the £120,000 a year is spent.