Construction of new £98m hospital gains approval

The £98m new Heatherwood Hospital will replace the existing hospital on the site and is expected to be completed in late 2021.

The hospital will have six operating theatres, 48 inpatient beds and facilities for 22 day cases, as well as some private patient facilities. HSJ reported in 2017 that the private beds were crucial to the business case for the redevelopment.

The new hospital, which will also offer outpatient and diagnostic facilities, is eventually expected to provide care for an estimated 168,000 people each year, almost double the 85,000 people served per year by the current hospital.

Construction will take place in woodland close to the existing site. Once the new hospital is operational, the old one will be closed and part of the site will be redeveloped for housing.

Frimley Health chief executive Neil Dardis said: “We are delighted that we can now deliver our vision for the Heatherwood site.

“The new hospital will ensure we can offer local patients the best care in the best environment and it is a key part of our strategy to remain an innovative and outstanding trust well into the future. We can’t wait to get started.”

Proposals for the site, which is in the green belt, were first put forward in 2014 but planning permission was not granted until August 2017.