Demolition crews have started work this week on the former York Street football ground in Boston, clearing the site for a brand-new £24.9 million community diagnostic centre. Over the coming weeks, the old stadium will be fully dismantled to make way for a state-of-the-art building that promises to transform local healthcare access.
A Major Boost for Local Health Services
The Boston Community Diagnostic Centre will be the fourth facility of its kind in Lincolnshire, providing a wide range of essential NHS services directly to residents. Once completed, the hub will feature two MRI scanners, two CT scanners, comprehensive X-ray facilities, and multiple ultrasound and consultation rooms. Additionally, the centre will include 115 parking spaces for patients and dedicated bays for mobile diagnostic vehicles, ensuring convenience and efficiency.
Expert Insights and Community Impact
Daren Fradgley, Deputy Chief Executive at Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals NHS Group, expressed enthusiasm about the project. “This marks the start of the next exciting chapter of our Lincolnshire Community Diagnostic Centre Programme,” he said. “Community diagnostic centres make it quicker and easier to access the tests patients need as part of their care.” Mr Fradgley highlighted that by operating on a separate site for planned tests, appointments are less likely to be disrupted by hospital emergencies, improving reliability and speed for patients.
The initiative aims to replicate the success of existing centres in Grantham, Lincoln, and Skegness, which have received positive feedback from local communities. These facilities already offer innovative services, such as rapid access heart clinics and “one-stop” memory assessments that complete all necessary tests in a single visit. In Lincoln and Skegness, special “kitten scanners” are used to help children feel calm and brave before undergoing real MRI scans, a feature expected to be incorporated in Boston as well.
Local Leadership and Future Prospects
Councillor Dale Broughton, Leader of Boston Borough Council, welcomed the development. “I am delighted to hear about the demolition of the former football stadium on York Street, which has sat derelict for more than five years now,” he stated. “The construction of a new £24.9 million NHS community diagnostic centre marks a huge investment into the future health of our community.” The project is a collaboration between the NHS and construction experts MTX Contracts Ltd, who previously built the centres in Lincoln and Skegness, ensuring proven expertise in delivery.
Residents can look forward to the Boston centre welcoming its first patients in the spring of 2027, marking a significant step forward in enhancing healthcare accessibility and quality in the region.
