A GROUP hoping to turn Minehead’s old hospital into a community hub says plans are well within its grasp.

The Grade II listed building closed in 2011 after it was replaced with a new community hospital in Seaward Way.

The building (pictured), which is owned by the NHS Property Services, has been on the open market for sale but the NHS has now told West Somerset Council it wants to dispose of the asset.

That means community groups can register their interest with the council to bid for the property, and have until October 13 to do so.

There will then be a further four and a half months for groups to develop and submit their bid to buy the building, but that does not guarantee a sale.

One group which has its sights on the building is the Minehead Development Trust.

Since the closure of the site, it has been trying to raise funds to buy the building and turn it into a community hub.

The group submitted an “expression of interest” to bid for the property on Tuesday.

Chair of the trust, Jenny Lennon- Wood said: “Because the process is ongoing, things really are up and down but at the moment I’m feeling quite upbeat about everything although I don’t want to jeopardise it.

“Things are starting to seem in our grasp and in due course we’ll be revealing our plans and fundraising.

“We’re working as hard as we can to get our bid together for March but we want to turn the old hospital into a community hub with service facilities, somewhere for locals and tourists to enjoy and make it a real focus of the town.”

A spokesperson for NHS Property Services said: “The old Minehead Community Hospital was registered as an asset of community value by West Somerset District Council last year, restricting the sale for six months.

“This ended in August 2013 and the site has since been on the open market.

“The site has now been re-registered as a community asset by West Somerset District Council, which again restricts its sale on the open market for a further six months.

We are keen to see this vacant site put to good use and will review marketing options after this ends in March 2015.”

If a bid is not received or accepted by March 1, 2015, the hospital will go back on the market for another 12 months and if at the end of that no sale is achieved the process will begin again.

For details contact Angela Summers at asummers@westsomerset.gov.uk