Portsmouth on cusp of agreeing £2.1m deal for new mental health hub

Portsmouth City Council is negotiating with Solent NHS Trust to purchase the vacant Oakdene building, in Locksway Road, Milton.

If agreed, the deal could create 17 additional places to treat the needy within the city.

A sum of more than £2.1m has already been set aside by the council as part of its capital budget to purchase the building, with the government providing £680,000 of this.

Council sources say discussions between the authority and Solent are in the final phases, with hopes the deal can be formally agreed next month.

Councillor Luke Stubbs, Portsmouth’s health and social care boss, said the deal would not only boost mental health support in the city but also save the council cash.

He said: ‘If all goes to plan, this site will provide improved mental health care and housing to vulnerable people, many of whom are currently placed outside the city.

‘The council and NHS Clinical Commissioning Group work closely together on a range of issues and the intention here is to house people on behalf of both organisations.

‘The alternative to this is the site being sold for flats.

‘Providing a mental health care facility at Oakdene is a better solution, both for the council, the NHS, the local community and the city.’

Oakdene was built in 2003 and operated as an adult mental health rehabilitation unit by Solent NHS Trust.

However, the building has been empty for more than a year after the site closed.

If a new deal is agreed, the council says it would save the authority £137,000 a year.

The purchase of Oakdene would provide 12 one-bedroom flats and one, five-bedroom shared 24 hour ‘unit’ for more complex health needs.

The decision to buy the site is due to be made on Wednesday, March 7.