County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust submit a planning application for proposed hospital in Consett

A planning application has been submitted which will see a new purpose built community hospital in Consett.

The proposed development of the hospital on Derwent View, will replace the current Shotley Bridge Hospital which requires significant investment to maintain the out-dated estate. The new Community Hospital is proposed to be located just 1.8 miles from the current Shotley Bridge site and is an opportunity to transform services around the population need.

Plans for the new hospital include an in-patient rehabilitation ward, urgent treatment centre, expanded chemotherapy suite and diagnostic provision.

Programme manager at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, Jane Curry said: “This an exciting development for the local population in Derwentside and the wider County Durham healthcare community, it is part of the Governments pledge to build or significantly expand 48 new hospitals. Shotley Bridge has been identified as a Cohort 2 development.

“We look forward to continuing discussions with our NHS colleagues and the local communities and progressing the scheme over the next few years.”

Hanna Hardy, acquisition lead at NHS Property Services advising on the project added: “This is an exciting milestone for this project to submit the Reserved Matters Application and builds on many years of work by local partners.

“We look forward to continuing to work with the Trust as well as our contractors, technical and planning advisors and architects as we move into the formal approvals process with New Hospitals Programme and the next stage of design.”

The Trust will also be supported by DPP who will be working closely with the local planning authority.

Simon Woods, construction manager for Tilbury Douglas Construction said: “The submission of the formal planning application is a major milestone for the project. Our team and design partners have worked with the Trust and planners to provide a scheme that will benefit the local community for many years to come.

Designed by specialist healthcare architects, medical architecture, director Lianne Knotts commented: “From very early design stages, the importance of this new hospital was clear, and we set out to design a place that inspires a sense of local pride.

“The building is welcoming to all and creates an environment for care that promotes wellbeing and recovery. Whilst enabling the highest current standards of healthcare, it has the flexibility to adapt to the future health needs of the community.”

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily