Colchester City Council is celebrating a major milestone in the Heart of Greenstead project, following the Planning Committee’s decision to grant planning permission for the transformational scheme. This marks a significant step forward in delivering a modern, welcoming space for residents and creating a hub that brings essential services together under one roof.
The Heart of Greenstead project, supported by Town Deal funding awarded to Colchester in 2022, will bring essential services together, making them easier to access and more integrated. The full transformation aims to create a multi-use hub that supports health, wellbeing, education, housing and opportunities for local businesses and community organisations.
This investment is about more than bricks and mortar – it’s about improving quality of life for Greenstead residents. By bringing services together in one place, the project will make it easier for people to access health care, housing support, childcare and community activities. Creating a modern, welcoming hub will help reduce barriers to essential services, support mental health and wellbeing, and foster stronger community connections.
As part of the vision, the Greenstead Community Centre would be refurbished and extended to create a modern, inclusive space for residents. The existing Greenstead Library building would be repurposed to provide a new home for Little Explorer’s Nursery alongside activity space for the HCRG Care Group.
Meanwhile, library services and housing support would move into the newly extended and reconfigured community centre, ensuring that essential services are brought together under one roof for easier access and greater integration.
Patients registered at Hawthorn GP Surgery in Greenstead are already benefitting from expansion and renovation work completed earlier this year, which saw the practice almost double its space and create a much more welcoming environment.
An artist’s impression has been released to give residents a sense of what the future could look like. While the design will continue to evolve as detailed planning and costings progress, planning permission means the project can now move forward. The next stage will be the proposed award of the main contract for works, which remains subject to approval at Scrutiny and Cabinet.
Cllr Mark Cory, Portfolio Holder for Resources and Assets at Colchester City Council, said: “Securing planning permission is a huge step forward for Greenstead. This project will create a connected, inclusive hub that brings vital services together and makes them easier to access for everyone. It’s a fantastic example of how investment can make a real difference to people’s lives.”
Residents will have opportunities to share feedback and ideas during future engagement rounds as plans develop.
Page last reviewed: 7 November 2025