It’s a go.

The Central Lambton Family Health Team has been given the green light to start construction on their new building on Countryview Drive.

The team of seven doctors and 11 health professionals been working together for over two years on separate sites and received approval to locate in a soon-to-be built health plaza on.

Southside Construction will build the 13,000 square-foot building which will be home to the Family Health Team in part of Englehart Park near the hospital, will also contain space for a pharmacy and offices for a chiropractor, dentist and other health related businesses.

The group had been waiting for approval from the Ministry of Health on the project and received it Friday.

“It’s a good feeling,” says the chair of the health team, Petrolia Councilor Mary Pat Gleeson. “It’s affirmation of the trust the ministry has in our team and it is so wonderful for the community to know that they’re going to have one-stop shopping next to the hospital,” she says.

“This is exciting news for our team as we strive to enhance and expand our programs and services,” said Mary Vergeer, executive director of the team. “The model of collaboration between doctors and allied health professionals has been proven to be more effective and sustainable in improving the health outcomes of our patients.  We have already seen a marked improvement in patient access to care.”

Gleeson hopes construction can begin soon. “The next steps now are to sit down with the developer and review the plans and as soon as possible get going,” she says.

“They’re anxious to get started because we want a completion date of early fall next year.”