Three offers received to build Ludlow hospital

Health chiefs are now considering just three "exceptionally good" offers to build Ludlow's £27 million hospital, it was revealed today.

And campaigners have set up a group to lobby Shropshire County Primary Care Trust for the hospital to be a functional rather than an elaborate building.

Peter Corfield, chairman of the League of Friends of Ludlow Community Hospital, said the project to build a hospital at Ludlow Eco Business Park was progressing well.

He said: "Everything's just going along very nicely and the tenders have now been whittled down to three. The PCT will make the final decision in September.

"We won't be looking at the tenders ourselves as that is a job for the PCT, but we at the League of Friends are setting up a small sub-group to sit down and speak to the PCT about potential designs."

Mr Corfield said that the short-listing of the tenders meant the final contract for the replacement for Gravel Hill hospital was on track to be awarded in September.

He added: "The process is moving along steadily and we are now all looking forward to the final selection of the contractor."

The League of Friends, which has about 1,300 members, unveiled plans last month for £180,000 suites for patients' relatives at the new hospital following its major fundraising drive.