Mid Sussex District Council reopens Clair Hall community building in Haywards Heath for use by the NHS

PR2330/RH/MJ - 13/01/2021

Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC) has granted a licence to the NHS for use of the old Clair Hall building in Perrymount Road as a Covid-19 Vaccination Service. 

MSDC closed Clair Hall in September last year as it was deemed no longer fit for purpose. Since that decision the pandemic has worsened, and the vaccination programme is now a national priority.  In this context, the Council received a request from the NHS to use the site as a Vaccination Centre, to which the Council readily agreed with the first vaccination in the building taking place in December of 2020.  While detail of the full vaccination programme is still emerging, it is not known how long the NHS will need the building for. As a result, the Council has provided a flexible licence that can accommodate whatever the NHS needs. 
 
Councillor Jonathan Ash-Edwards, Leader of MSDC said:  
 
“Unfortunately, the Coronavirus pandemic has worsened considerably in recent weeks, but the vaccination programme gives reason to be hopeful. The District Council has reopened the Clair Hall building in Haywards Heath for the NHS to use as a COVID-19 Vaccination Service and has now agreed the license. I’m delighted that the first vaccination happened here in December and that people in our community are being protected. The NHS continues to ask residents to wait to be called forward for a vaccine, which will be offered to the most vulnerable first. 

Councillor Judy Llewellyn-Burke, Deputy Leader of MSDC added, “At this stage it is not clear how long the NHS will require the site for, so the Council has offered the NHS a flexible licence. This means the NHS will be able to use the building for as long as they need to complete the vaccination programme. When the NHS use comes to an end, we may again review the future use of the site informed by further public consultation to complement that done recently on the Haywards Heath Masterplan.” 

The Vaccination rollout is being run by the NHS and is the largest vaccination programme in its history. While it is being rolled out, it is vitally important that everyone follows the Government’s advice to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.