Controversial plan for new hospital approved by councillors

As previously reported by The Gazette, Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust submitted a hybrid planning application for a new £150million Critical Treatment Hospital on a 22-hectare greenfield site on the north side of the A30 near junction 7 of the M3.

In addition, an £18.5m cancer treatment centre, an energy centre, helipad and car parking was proposed at the site.

And councillors on the borough council’s development control committee voted to approve the application at a meeting last night despite opposition from residents and local parish councils, as well as some councillors on the committee.

Julian Jones, chairman of Dummer Parish Council, said the planning application was not supported by a sequential analysis of all the sites considered by HHFT, adding: “Similarly, the principle of centralised care is unproven at this stage. It is not supported by the NHS national five-year Forward View and the CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group) has stated that it cannot afford this development and that it will not go to public consultation.

“Therefore, there is no clear case that there is an overriding need for this development and for it to go ahead in the public interest.”

Speaking on behalf of North Waltham Parish Council, James Rowley raised a number of concerns over the use of a greenfield location and the amount of traffic using Trenchard Lane to access the hospital, as well as concerns raised by the CCGs.

He urged the committee to refuse the application, adding: “At the very least, the application should be deferred until more certainty can be provided of its actual delivery.”

Health chiefs have hailed the new hospital as the best solution to provide healthcare across a large area of Hampshire, including Basingstoke, Winchester, Andover and Eastleigh.

The hospital would treat the sickest and high-risk patients but the majority of patients would continue to be treated at hospitals in Basingstoke, Andover and Winchester.

HHFT chief executive, Mary Edwards, defended the plans, telling the meeting: “Our goal in creating this Critical Treatment Hospital is to deliver better and safer hospital services for our sickest patients predominantly bought in by blue-light ambulances and air ambulances in life-threatening conditions.

“We would also create a cancer treatment centre to provide radiotherapy and chemotherapy and offer cancer patients local services which means they would no longer have to make journeys to Southampton and Guildford.

“It is self-funding by Hampshire Hospitals and would enable us to reduce costs of delivering the most expensive services.”

Labour councillor Paul Harvey said the new cancer centre would “dramatically improve” services for patients, adding: “I really do want to speak in favour of this and what a massive difference it will make to residents in my own ward and in the town and the borough to have a facility of this kind in Basingstoke and Deane.”

Councillors on the committee raised concerns about the letter sent to stakeholders by the North and West Hampshire CCGs, saying it would not support formal consultation on the trust’s proposal at the current stage, as well as concerns over the impact the six-storey building would have on the landscape.

Oakley and North Waltham councillor, Diane Taylor, who sits on the committee, raised concerns including the design of the building and the use of greenfield land, adding: “For the three reasons and some others stated, I don’t feel at this time I can support the proposal in its current form.”

Popley East councillor, David Potter, added: “My position is very clear. I support this application before us and support the officer recommendation that we approve this.”

Seven councillors voted in favour of the plans and three councillors voted against the plans.

As a result, the hospital trust has been granted full planning permission for the Critical Treatment Hospital, cancer treatment centre, an energy centre and outline planning approval for a central pathology laboratory.

Following the meeting, trust chief executive, Mary Edwards, welcomed the news, saying: "Mary Edwards, Chief Executive said: “We are very pleased to receive conditional planning approval to build a critical treatment hospital and cancer treatment centre which will enable us to improve the services we offer to the local community.

"This decision provides further evidence that our proposal to build on the site near junction 7 of the M3 is viable, ahead of any public consultation. This is an important next step."

Merv Rees, trustee at the Ark Cancer Centre Charity, added: "Everyone involved in the charity and Cancer Treatment Centre campaign is delighted that Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has given conditional approval to the plans for the CTC and the CTH at the preferred location."

The leader of the borough council, Cllr Clive Sanders, also welcomed the planning approval decision.

He said: "This is a key step towards the improvement of healthcare, not only in Basingstoke and the surrounding borough, but in the north of Hampshire too.

“I am delighted that the development has been given the planning green light. The quality of debate at the Development Control Committee last night was absolutely fantastic and truly showed local democracy at its finest.

"The voices of local residents were considered and we will do our utmost to address the constructive concerns that were raised.

“I have already met with the hospital and with our local MPs to review the situation following the change of heart by the North Hants Clinical Commissioning Group which has decided not to go out for public consultation at this stage, as was originally planned, once planning permission was granted.

"Next Thursday I will be meeting with the chair and the officer leading the North Hants CCG to try to understand their concerns and see if there is a way to carry out the review that they plan, without holding up the progress of the Critical Care Unit.

"Delivering the very best in healthcare for our residents is of paramount importance and the provision of the Critical Care Unit in Basingstoke will have an overwhelmingly positive impact on the borough.”