Site earmarked for 'game-changing' new Lancaster hospital is revealed

The proposed site for a new hospital in Lancaster has been revealed.

The new hospital to replace the Royal Lancaster Infirmary is being earmarked for land at Bailrigg East close to Lancaster University, it was announced on Monday.

Cat Smith, MP for Lancaster and Wyre, said the government has given the green light for a land purchase, calling this a "pivotal moment for our community, and it’s long overdue".

The NHS remains open to other sites being suggested and a public consultation will take place before any final decision is made.

Aaron Cummins, chief executive of University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (below), said: “A new hospital on a new site in Lancaster will allow us to fully address the significant problems that we face with the current ageing buildings at Royal Lancaster Infirmary and will bring huge benefits to our communities and to the wider economy. 

“We have the opportunity to create a legacy, with a hospital specifically designed for the needs of our population, improving their experience and giving them the best clinical care.

"We additionally have significant ambitions to create facilities that are digitally innovative, much more cost effective, and with a reduced carbon footprint.” 

The local NHS now wants to hear from patients, residents, colleagues and stakeholders about what a new hospital will mean for them and how the move to a new hospital site might impact them.

People will be invited to have their say through a series of public events as well as through a survey, details of which will be shared in the new year. 

Below, the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

Estate agents Savills announced this week that the 94-acre greenfield site had been sold to the NHS by themselves, on behalf of a 'private landowner client'.

"The sale of this site has been 15 years in the making, with the land having been identified as a strategic site with potential for housing development," said Simon Douglas, development director at Savills.

"After an incredibly long planning and promotion period, this is, without question, one of the most satisfying deals I have ever completed on behalf of a client.

“Some years ago, we sold a neighbouring parcel of land to Lancaster University which has become a renowned health innovation centre. To now complete on this deal, which will position Royal Lancaster Infirmary right on the doorstep of this campus, is not only fantastic news for the area and the local economy, but wonderful for UK and global health innovation generally.”

Professor Andy Schofield, vice-chancellor of Lancaster University (below), said this week: “We welcome the announcement that land near Lancaster University’s campus is the ‘preferred site’ for Lancaster’s new hospital.

“This is a unique opportunity for our medical school, health and business experts to work alongside the hospital and to expand our work in partnership with the Trust, NHS and companies to deliver better patient outcomes and to improve healthcare in our region.

“Although there is some way to go, I’d also like to acknowledge the work and dedication of the Lancashire and South Cumbria New Hospitals programme, the Trusts and the advocacy of Cat Smith MP to advance healthcare in our region.”

On Monday, the proposed location for a brand new hospital to replace Royal Preston Hospital was also announced.

This would be on land between Stanifield Lane and Wigan Road, south of Stoney Lane in Farington, near to the end of the M65 West.

Kevin Lavery, chief executive of NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board, said: “A comprehensive review of sites, including plot size, location, motorway access, existing highways infrastructure, public transport, planning and environmental conditions, has been undertaken to assess sites for their suitability.  

“Whilst proposals are at an early stage, we understand many people will want more information about how the travel and transport arrangements will work for the new facilities. 

“We want to hear about how our proposals for the two new hospitals on new sites would affect you, your family or people you care for. Your views will help to inform the development of any plans going forward. 

“While the local NHS has secured the potential new sites, no final decisions have been made. It is important to emphasise that any such decision would be subject to full public consultation at a later date.”  

Morag Stuart, chief programme officer for the New Hospital Programme, said: "This is a significant step towards two brand-new hospitals to replace both Royal Preston Hospital and Royal Lancaster Infirmary to benefit local people and NHS colleagues living and working in Lancashire and South Cumbria.

"The New Hospital Programme has been pleased to support the land acquisition process for these sites, which are two key milestones in our mission to transform the delivery of healthcare infrastructure and services." 

Any other suggested sites would be subject to the same comprehensive review as the proposed sites, said an NHS spokesperson.

The existing Royal Preston Hospital and Royal Lancaster Infirmary sites will remain in place and deliver services until new hospital facilities are opened.

The spokesperson said the two new hospitals are part of a wider programme of work that is considering how clinical services are configured across all acute hospital sites in Lancashire and South Cumbria to meet the needs of the population in the future in a way that makes the best use of all available resources, with the aim of supporting our communities, bringing jobs, skills and contracts to local businesses and residents. 

Proposals for investment in Furness General Hospital’s infrastructure are also in development, said the spokesperson.

In July, health secretary Wes Streeting said a proposed new hospital in Lancaster would be 'considered carefully' as part of a review by the new government.

Mr Streeting said he realised there was a "particular urgency" for a new hospital in Lancaster - speaking after the trust running the Royal Lancaster Infirmary raised its internal response to the highest level due to the pressures it faces.

Read more: Morecambe Bay Hospital Trust takes extra measures to cope with pressures on services - Beyond Radio

“For Lancaster, the case is undeniable," said Cat Smith, speaking on Monday.

"The Royal Lancaster Infirmary was a Victorian masterpiece, but it’s no longer fit for the demands of the 21st century. A new-build hospital will not only transform healthcare delivery but will also bring significant economic benefits across the district and beyond.

“Our community has been left in limbo for far too long. Today’s announcement is a game-changer.

"It shows that in just a few months of Labour leadership, fundamental progress is being made. This decision provides certainty about the future of healthcare in Lancaster and sets the foundation for better services for generations to come.”

The Lancashire and South Cumbria New Hospitals Programme was originally part of the Conservatives' pledge to build 40 new hospitals by 2030.

But progress on new hospitals across the country was slow and the scheme was criticised, with NHS chiefs concerned that funding doubts and shifting timetables were putting projects at risk.

As part of the programme, David Morris, former MP for Morecambe & Lunesdale who also campaigned for the new hospital, said Lancaster would get a new £1.2bn hospital in 2033, on a site to be determined.

"One of the things that's always been needed here is a new hospital," he said, during a Beyond Radio debate of Morecambe and Lunesdale general election candidates in June.

"We've got a good hospital, we've got good staff, and those good people have turned this hospital trust around because of the bad management from the previous government that was running things. 

"We need a new hospital and that's why I got the funding for a £1.2bn hospital that's going to be built somewhere in Lancaster. We're just waiting for the planning on that. It was allocated. It's in the New Hospitals Programme.

"2033 it's going to be opening, that's what we've been told. That's when they're going to start building it. We have rumours where it's going to be built. I can't say."

But Ms Smith described the Conservatives’ 2019 promise to deliver 40 new hospitals as an “unfunded pipe dream”.

Read more: GENERAL ELECTION: Candidates debate plans for 'new £1.2bn Lancaster hospital by 2033' - Beyond Radio