Plans have been submitted to transform the derelict Carey Building into an integrated health hub in east Kent.
Canterbury Christ Church University previously used the Carey Building until it closed in 2018.
The plans submitted are for approval of a change of use from educational to healthcare.
Most of the refurbishment work would be focused on the ground floor area to be utilised for clinical space. The first floor will be allocated to accommodate additional clinical space in the future, whilst the second floor will be repurposed for staff admin space.
Potential plans for the facility include a GP, opticians, dentists and a pharmacy, as well as a community diagnostic centre (CDC).
A potential CDC
Healthcare Needs is the company submitting the plans to Thanet District Council.
A spokesperson for Healthcare Needs told the BBC that the building is adjacent to the thriving shopping centre at Westwood Cross and in an area of significant housing growth.
The central location would be a good factor for the potential community diagnostic centre.
The CDC programme is in its third year, with over 170 sites now running across England. In September 2024, NHS England published a guidance document for planning, design and implementation of these facilities.
East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust could potentially manage the CDC and services at the centre could include MRIs, echocardiograms, and blood testing.
The Carey Building was previously used by Canterbury Christ Church University until it closed in 2018
In total, the centre could potentially offer primary care for 7,000 patients and up to 60,000 appointments a year, phased over five years, according to the application.
There would be 36 consultation rooms across the building including spaces for podiatry, phlebotomy, cardiology, paediatrics, counselling, treatment, and respiratory care.
What is the next step?
A spokesperson for East Kent Health & Care Partnership said funding was not yet guaranteed.
It is not yet known when Thanet District Council (TDC) will decide on the new healthcare hub
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