Ludlow hospital plans to be submitted next week

PLANS FOR a new £27 million hospital for south Shropshire are due to be submitted early next week, health bosses revealed today.

A new facility including a hospital and new premises for Ludlow's doctors surgeries is planned for a site at the town's Eco Business Park.

Peter Corfield, chairman of the Ludlow Hospital League of Friends, said: "We are delighted that the project is moving ahead on schedule and we are sure that the planning application will be successful. We look forward to continued progress.

"Considering there was a significant risk of losing the hospital altogether five years ago, we're absolutely delighted we've got to this stage."

Mathew James, spokesman for Shropshire County Primary Care Trust, said: "We are looking to submit the planning application early next week. More details will be available then."

The sale of the site for the new hospital was agreed with Shropshire Council for a price of £1 million in October last year.

The new facility will replace the current Ludlow Community Hospital on Gravel Hill.

There had been fears the new hospital would only have 28 beds, compared to 40 in the current building.

But in its January newsletter, Shropshire PCT said the new facility will have 36 inpatient beds and four maternity unit beds.

New services expected to be available include ultra sound scanning, minor surgery and chemotherapy.

Jo Chambers, chief executive of the PCT, said £2m in public money for the project from West Midlands Strategic Health Authority would still be available.

She said: "The strategic health authority will be abolished in about 12 months time, but they have provided us with the promised £2 million for Ludlow and they have been and continue to be supportive of the work we are all doing here."

The PCT has been running consultation events in Ludlow and Craven Arms showcasing the plans ahead of the planning application.

After the application goes in, it is expected that a development partner to build the hospital will be chosen by autumn this year.

Work on the site is likely to start in summer 2012.

By Hannah Costigan