Plans to open a new medical centre in the heart of Bromley have taken a step forward, with senior councillors giving the green light to selling off one of the authority’s buildings to the local health service.

Bromley Council’s executive voted earlier this month in favour of selling the former Adventure Kingdom site at their civic centre headquarters to the NHS Bromley Clinical Commissioing Group (CCG).

It’s a move that Cllr Graham Arthur, the executive member for resources, commissioning and contract management, said could herald “much needed healthcare” in a central location.

“Whilst this proposal is still at a relatively early stage, it is nevertheless, very positive and discussions with the CCG will continue,” Cllr Arthur said.

“We are committed to working in partnership with the CCG where we can and this is evidence of this.

“It could herald new much needed healthcare facilities in an easily accessible location which the CCG will then be expected to take forwards.

“It also supports the council’s long term vision to make best use of civic centre campus, maximising use, benefiting residents and council taxpayers.”

According to the council, the eventual sale of the former Adventure Kingdom site is still subject to the outcome of negotiations with the Bromley CCG and the executive’s final approval.

For the last 19 months the building has been used as a storage area by Bromley Borough Foodbank, with the organisation keeping supplies there before dispersing them through their five stores across the borough.

The council says that while it is not under any obligation to provide alternative accommodation for the foodbank, officers are currently assisting to see if the council has any suitable vacant accommodation when the bank is required to leave.

Eileen Childs, the acting project manager at Bromley Borough Foodbank, thanked the council for their support during that time and said the group was now on the look-out for a large storage area capable at an affordable rate.

She said the group was now “desperately looking for a large storage space” anywhere from Orpington to central Bromley and appealed for any readers who knew of such a space to contact the foodbank.

She thanked the council for their support for the last 19 months and said the group was always aware their civic centre accommodation would be temporary.

“Before, we had supplies in people’s garages, and all over the place – this enabled us to have everything in one place,” she told the local democracy reporting service.

The CCG has previously indicated it would consider letting the foodbank remain in the building while it awaits planning permission for their scheme.