Pioneering NHS founders to be honoured in exciting new housing development

A new Blackburn housing development will pay tribute to the legendary people who led to the founding of the NHS by naming its streets after them.

This is also to pay tribute to the amazing work and dedication of NHS workers during the pandemic.

The Highgate Estate, which will have 63 homes with three, four and five bedroom homes, is beginning building works on the site off Ramsgreave Drive, Blackburn. Taking centre stage on the street names will be the people whose ideas and hard work led to the creation of the National Health Service in 1948.

They are Aneurin Bevan, Beatrice Webb, Clement Atlee, William Beveridge and Dr Benjamin Moore.

Sociologist Beatrice Webb is recognised due to her ideas and arguments in the Minority Report of the Royal Commission on the Poor Law in 1909, that a new health system was needed for all to replace the Poor Laws that were in place at the time.

This was followed by Dr Benjamin Moore, a Liverpool physician who wrote of his pioneering vision for healthcare in “The Dawn of the Health Age”. He is thought to be one of the first people to use the phrase ‘National Health Service’. His ideas led him to create the State Medical Service Association which held its first meeting in 1912.

Politician and economist William Beveridge produced the 1942 report “Social Insurance and Allied Services”, known as the Beveridge Report. This served as the basis and foundation for the NHS.

Led by Health Minister Anuerin Bevan, who had campaigned for many years for the service, and Prime Minister Clement Atlee, the NHS was launched in July 1948.

Bevan founded the NHS with three main aims which still stand to this day – firstly, that the services helped everyone; secondly, healthcare was free and finally, that care would be provided based on need rather than ability to pay.

The Highgate Estate is being developed by McDermott Homes, meeting the objectives and vision of the Council’s Masterplan for North Blackburn. Preliminary work around for the roads and sewers starts in April with the house foundations work starting in June. The houses will then start to be built in late summer when the plots will also go on sale.

Councillor Phil Riley, Executive Member for Growth and Development, said:

These five incredible people gave us the National Health Service through their pioneering ideas, their tireless work and their grand visions, and millions of people have benefitted from that. It will be wonderful to see their names on this new development as a lasting reminder of their legacy.

Never has the NHS been more challenged than in the last year, but never has it been more valued by the people it serves. This is a timely testament to how important it is in all our lives.

It is also fantastic to see the first signs of development on the site and to be working with McDermott Homes on this scheme. These are going to be beautiful homes in a great location and I’m excited to see them take shape.”

A McDermott Homes spokesperson said:

It is pleasing to recognise lasting legacies on our new development estates as well as continuing to work with the Council and assist them in meeting their housing growth targets at the same time”