A NEW chapter is set to dawn on one of PetersfieldÕs most important historic buildings when the new Grange Surgery opens on Monday, January 7.

Doctors from the Spain Surgery are moving into their new premises at The Causeway which have been completely redeveloped with money from the townÕs new Tesco supermarket.

The 250-year-old building was considered by some to be almost derelict before the development of the site began earlier this year.

Now it is set to become one of PetersfieldÕs most attractive features with an up-to-date doctorsÕ surgery offering hi-tech health facilities.

It is thought that the redevelopment of the Grange Surgery has cost more than £410,000 and has included major structural work.

Tesco paid a variety of contractors to carry out the project under the leadership of Kier Construction.

East Hampshire District Council planning control manager Ian Ellis explained: ÒWhen we granted planning permission for the food store, one of the requirements was that they carried out all the structural repairs to enable the Grange to be put to a new public use.

ÒThe works were costed at about £411,000. We asked for repairs to the stonework and to the windows.

ÒWe also asked for a proper floor to be installed and for the roof to be relaid. The idea was to make the building capable of being used as a public building.Ó

Mr Ellis said the grade two listed building had been saved by the redevelopment.

He said: ÒThe Grange was not in danger of imminent collapse but it was in a very poor state. The roof was badly damaged after a fire a few years ago.

ÒThe stonework was in need of repair and the windows were boarded up. There wasnÕt much of a first floor and the timber was rotting. It needed a lot of work done to it.

ÒI think it would have been fair to describe it as a building at risk from never being used again.

ÒIt wasnÕt in a derelict state but if you consider that it was going to cost more than £400,000 to repair, the chances of it being used again were slim.Ó

He added: ÒIt was a major decision of the council to ensure that there would be a future for this grade two listed building.

ÒWe felt that the Grange should be the principal building on the site and that the new foodstore should be built behind it.Ó

Now staff at the Spain Surgery are preparing to move to their new premises at The Causeway.

Practice manager Beryl Ely said staff were keen to preserve the identity of the historic building.

She said: ÒThe new site offers many benefits. Access will be much improved, with a far bigger car park and good bus links.

ÒOur nurses will have two consulting rooms, one of which will be fully equipped as a treatment and minor surgery room.

ÒWe will have four doctorsÕ consulting rooms and there will be a stairlift available to assist patients to the first floor if required.

ÒThe health visitorÕs room will be on the ground floor and part of the first floor will be let to a private physiotherapy and sports injury clinic.Ó

Mrs Ely said the extra room at the Grange meant the surgery would be able to offer a wider range of services.

She said: ÒThe building has undergone a great deal of alteration and renovation to convert it to a surgery.

ÒWe fully intend to keep the friendly, family atmosphere of the present surgery but the greater space will enable us to develop the range of services we offer in line with the needs of the 21st century.Ó