THE LEADER of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has vowed to award the Ark Cancer Centre Charity a significant grant if planning approval for a new cancer centre in North Waltham is given the green light.

Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT) unveiled its plans to create a huge new critical treatment hospital, expected to cost in excess of £150million, on a 22-hectare greenfield site on the north side of the A30 near junction 7 of the M3, at a public exhibition last month.

As part of the controversial plans, which have received criticism from local residents and an action group set up to voice their concerns, an £18.5m cancer treatment centre is also proposed for the site.

The Ark Cancer Centre Charity is currently in the process of raising £5m towards the scheme.

And borough council leader, Councillor Clive Sanders vowed to back the Ark Cancer Charity Appeal by giving the charity a “substantial grant” if and when planning approval is given to the scheme.

A planning application for the critical treatment hospital and new cancer centre is expected to be submitted by HHFT this month.

Cllr Sanders told a full council meeting last Thursday: “There can hardly be a family in Basingstoke and Deane which has not been touched in some way by the effects of suffering cancer or may be in the future.

“Therefore, ensuring that we have the very best cancer support facilities locally seems to me absolutely the type of initiative that we as a council should be supporting.

“It is therefore my intention, without prejudging the outcome of any planning application, that as and when planning approval is granted for the unit, council should allocate a substantial grant to the Ark appeal from the infrastructure reserve.”

Ark Cancer Centre Charity trustee, Merv Rees, said the announcement was a “very welcome and much appreciated” pledge of support from Cllr Sanders, adding: “The cancer treatment centre is truly a project for the people, by the people, and the backing of the borough council will help to ensure that we can provide the care and support that local cancer patients, their families and friends need and deserve.

“I am so proud to live in a borough where the local council has the vision to support an initiative that will change so many people’s lives.”

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