PLANS for a new cancer treatement centre to serve patients across north and mid-Hampshire will continue, despite the likely axing of proposals for a new hospital which the centre was pencilled in to share a site with.

As reported by The Gazette earlier today, the hospital, which would have centralised Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's (HHFT) emergency and critical care services between Basingstoke, Andover and Winchester, has been deemed "not affordable" by the North Hampshire and the West Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG).

A hybrid planning application for a new critical treatment hospital, submitted by HHFT, on a 22-hectare greenfield site on the north side of the A30 near junction 7 of the M3 was approved by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council (BDBC) in October 2015.

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

Despite the expected critical treatment hospital setback, HHFT has reaffirmed today its commitment to building the cancer centre.

Alex Whitfield, chief executive of Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are committed to creating a cancer treatment centre for the people of north and mid-Hampshire. Our successful fundraising campaign is active and ongoing and we are hugely grateful to all those who have generously donated.”

The centre would provide a range of support services and complementary therapies are available alongside chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments.

A £5m fundraising campaign by the Ark Cancer Centre Charity has so far raised around £1.7m.