Home
Search

March 2026

Thanet Community Health Hub – converting a college into healthcare

Delivering Integrated Healthcare in the Heart of the Community

Hunters’ Healthcare team of Architects and Civil & Structural Engineers have designed and completed Phase One of the new £10 million Thanet Community Health Hub — a transformational change-of-use project bringing primary care, community health services, and diagnostic provision together under one roof.

Located adjacent to a busy shopping centre in Broadstairs, the hub occupies a former Canterbury Christ Church University building, originally constructed in 2000 and vacant since 2018. It’s highly accessible setting places healthcare at the centre of the community it serves. This project is a good example of how a multi-disciplinary team work together on behalf of our clients.

A Strategic Approach to Integrated Care

The vision for the Thanet Community Health Hub was clear: create a modern, adaptable healthcare environment that prioritises accessibility, operational efficiency, and patient experience.

As Tim Ashton, Director, explains:

“We have designed healthcare hubs in various locations around the country, including shopping centres, making them accessible for all. This is the perfect location for a healthcare hub. Our design strategy has been to prioritise circulation, staff and patient needs, and to enable the hub to open in phases.”

The phased delivery strategy allows services to be introduced efficiently while enabling long-term flexibility and future expansion.

Complex Coordination, Delivered Seamlessly

The project required close collaboration with three NHS organisations, each with distinct clinical, technical, and operational requirements.

With incomplete original building information, Hunters worked with consultants developing a comprehensive review covering:

  • Fire strategy and compartmentation
  • Life-safety compliance
  • Lease and shared-building considerations
  • Integration within a wider multi-occupancy estate

Reconfiguration for Future Growth

To maximise long-term flexibility:

  • The first-floor hall void was infilled with a new composite slab, creating additional clinical space for future expansion.
  • The second floor was reconfigured to accommodate staff administration and support functions.

Phase One: Comprehensive Community Provision (complete)

Upon completion of Phase One, the hub provides:

  • Approximately 36 consultation and examination rooms
  • GP services and a same-day access hub
  • Community health services including children’s services, physiotherapy, podiatry, and counselling
  • A Phase One Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) offering respiratory, cardiology, and phlebotomy services
  • Staff administration, welfare, and shared support spaces

The hub is designed to deliver up to 60,000 appointments per year.

Phase Two: Expanding Diagnostic Capability

Phase Two, will introduce:

  • MRI facilities
  • Dental services
  • Optician provision

Related Content