A community facility combining a library and healthcare services has opened its doors.

The former Ordnance Road library in Enfield Lock has been replaced by the Ordnance Unity Centre, which will hold a community hall, doctors’ and dentist surgeries.

The hall and library opened this week, with the GP surgery due to open on January 5, 2015.

A multi-million pound development, the hub has been built in just over a year and is also replacing the Kettering community hall and Ordnance Road GP surgery.

Ray James, director of health, housing and adult social care at Enfield Council, gave tours to councillors, MPS and invited guests.

He said: “One of the great things about this is that it provides for an increased GP list for an opportunity for about 10,000 patients to be registered, which is much needed in this area because there are lots of people not registered with a GP.

“The GP will also be open in the evenings to help with people who are working.”

Councillor Ozzie Uzoanya, associate cabinet member for Enfield North, said: “This wonderful building is now a reality. Occupying a prominent position at the junction of two major roads it really is at the heart of a community and is easily accessible.

“With careful attention to landscaping outside and defined areas inside for each independent service, this centre fulfils a great need in Enfield Lock. It has been welcomed with huge enthusiasm by the people who live here and will become an indispensable community building for people of all ages to use and enjoy.”

Jonathan Hall, construction director of GRAHAM Construction, said: "We are tremendously proud to have played our part in delivering this excellent facility for the community in Enfield.”

Haverstock Healthcare Ltd won the contract from NHS England to provide GP services at the Ordnance Unity Centre.

Its chief executive Dr Mike Smith said: “We are delighted to be awarded this contract and to be part of an exciting new venture in creating a community health and wellbeing hub in this diverse, vibrant and multicultural area.”

Cllr Terry Neville, leader of the Conservative Group on Enfield Council, added: “We very much welcome the completion of this excellent project which started out life during the Conservative administration, and is particularly due to the efforts of the late Cllr Ruth Hones, who represented Enfield Lock ward, and Anne Marie Pearce who was chairman of the health scrutiny panel at the time. It is another example of so many initiatives by the Conservatives that are slowly coming to fruition."