Development part of government鈥檚 New Hospitals Programme
Plans have been submitted to build a new hospital on the grounds of a manor house in Bury St Edmunds.
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust is seeking outline planning permission for a new hospital on the Hardwick manor estate, to replace the existing West Suffolk Hospital.
The trust bought the 70-acre plot, which neighbours the existing hospital, in 2020 and has since been engaged in a programme of consultation with the public as well as its staff and partners.
The proposed hospital is part of the government鈥檚 New Hospitals Programme, which aims to build 40 new hospitals across the country by 2030.
Last month, the programme鈥檚 first commercial pipeline of work was announced, with 11 deals at or close to the market engagement stage, worth an initial 拢2.5bn.
Proposals submitted to West Suffolk Council include the demolition of the existing main hospital building and the construction of a new 100,000 sq m garden hospital sitting in the manor鈥檚 parklands.
According to a planning statement prepared by the trust鈥檚 real estate advisers, the existing hospital 鈥� which was built in 1970 鈥� has reached a point where maintenance will not extend its viability beyond 2030.
>> Meet the person charged with delivering 40 hospitals in nine years
The existing manor house and walled garden 鈥� given grade II listing status earlier this year following assessment by Historic England 鈥� would be retained, as would the arboretum.
The 鈥淭udorbethan鈥� country house, constructed between 1926 and 1928, will be converted from residential use to health-related uses.
Trust interim chief executive Craig Black said the outline application gave an 鈥渋nitial impression鈥� of how the project might fit into its surrounding.
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