FRESH plans have been submitted for a commercial building which will be used to manufacture mobile clinical healthcare service units.

Amobox creates portable kitchens, mobile bars and retail kiosks and if plans are approved, it could also fabricate modular and mobile NHS units at Park Farm in Great Bromley.

The proposed building, which measures 25m by 40m, comes as part of the three-year contact between Vanguard Healthcare Solutions and Amobox to supply NHS hospitals throughout the country.

This contract is said to create a further ten to 12 new job opportunities in the Tendring area over the next two years.

The planning statement reads: “It is acknowledged that currently, the NHS is experiencing unprecedented pressured brought about by the recent pandemic.

“It has been recently reported there are six million patients currently on waiting lists for consultation and procedures.

“The British Medical Association states that it will take years to clear the backlog bought about by the pandemic.

“The ongoing need for stringent infection prevention control measures and workforce shortages mean it will take even longer to work through as demand continues to rise.

“The supply of mobile clinical units is critical to NHS to increase the capacity of hospitals to carry out procedures, operations and see patients without costly and lengthy extensions to hospital buildings.

“The mobile units represent both a practical time and cost-efficient method to deliver NHS patients services.”

Currently Vanguard is said to order between two or three units every six months and it is said to take around three months to complete the fit out of a unit with healthcare equipment by Amobox.

Residents have also been reassured about traffic and noise implications which could come as a result of the new site.

The statement continued: “It is anticipated that there will be little or no noise disruptions in connection with the proposed building because of the nature of the use being the fit out of specialist health equipment, rather than the construction of the exterior of the mobile healthcare units.”

Great Bromley Parish Council has supported the plans but Tendring Council is yet to have the final say.