Heatherwood Hospital Redevelopment Plans
At the very end of 2017, approval was granted by RBWM (despite objections by Sunninghill and Ascot Parish Council), for various aspects of the redevelopment of the Heatherwood Hospital site, including the new , elective hospital, access for 250 house, Health Trust related offices and the new GP surgery.
"The new hospital will be built in woodland behind the current site, offering peaceful views for patients who are undergoing or recovering from treatments.
It will have six operating theatres and 48 inpatient beds, plus 22 day case cubicles. It will specialise in planned, non-emergency procedures such as orthopaedics, general surgery, urology, gynaecology and endoscopy. Space for the Trust’s private patient unit will also be included.
The hospital will also offer a range of outpatient and diagnostic facilities such as cardiology, radiology, lithotripsy, children’s clinic, physiotherapy and orthodontics and space for a primary care hub with GPs, community nurses and other healthcare specialists.
The new Heatherwood Hospital is the latest major development in Frimley Health’s £200m capital investment programme."
These are the details of what has been approved so far:
Application Number: 16/03115
Type: Outline
Proposal: Hybrid planning application comprising: 1) Application for full planning permission for the development of a new Elective Care Hospital and associated Admin Hub with associated parking, vehicle access, highway works, plant and landscaping 2) Application for full planning permission for the change of use of existing building to provide GP Practice, Office, Data Centre and Staff Restaurant in association with the Elective Care Hospital 3) Application for outline planning permission (access and layout determined with all other matters reserved for future consideration) for demolition of existing hospital and redevelopment of up to 250 dwellings with associated vehicle access and highway works 4) Application for full planning permission for the change of use of existing woodland to Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) in association with the outline residential planning permission.
Location: Heatherwood Hospital London Road Ascot SL5 8AA
Decision: Application Permitted
Parish Council recommendation: Objections
Application Number: 16/03825
Type: Full
Proposal: Enabling works in association with hybrid application (ref: 16/03115/Out) and change of use application (ref: 16/03824/Full) for the redevelopment of Heatherwood Hospital. Enabling works to be site clearance, drainage diversions, services diversions, earthworks, construction of retaining walls, advanced planting and creation of balancing pond.
Location: Heatherwood Hospital London Road Ascot SL5 8AA
Decision: Application Permitted
Parish Council Recommendation: Objections
Application Number: 16/03824
Type: Full
Proposal: Change of use from hospital accommodation (Use Class D1) to offices with associated IT hub and staff restaurant (Use Class B1a) and GP Practice (Use Class D1) with associated parking, landscaping, replacement roof top plant, external staircase, temporary car park and demolition of existing walkway.
Location: Heatherwood Hospital London Road Ascot SL5 8AA
Decision: Application Permitted
Parish Council Recommendation: Objections
BACKGROUND
The Planning Application 16/03115/OUT for the redevelopment of Heatherwood Hospital was approved, as expected, by the Borough Development Management Panel on Tuesday 22nd August 2017 at the meeting held at the Royal Berkshire Hotel. The officer recommendation had been for Refusal but, at the well-attended meeting, public opinion was overwhelmingly in favour and councillors voted 10 to 2 against deferring the application to look into the car parking objections. A special case has to be made for breeaching the Green Belt.
The earliest that preparatory work can begun is later this year, with construction starting Spring 2018 ..
Frimley Health Trust , which runs the hospital in Ascot, says it wants to invest in a new £90m hospital on the Heatherwood site. Plans include a new state of the art building in what is currently part of the woodland on the site, and the sale of land for housing. This sale will make the project possible by part-funding the cost of the new hospital and allowing the current hospital to run until the new one is ready. The hospital’s woodland setting would also bring added benefit to recovering patients. Frimley Health has already made a number of alterations to its original plans, following feedback from well-attended public health events held at Ascot Racecourse last year, and from other consultations with neighbours and affected parties. If the planning application is approved, the new hospital would include six operating theatres, 40 inpatient beds plus private patient spaces and day case and endoscopy facilities. There would also be enhanced diagnostic and outpatient services and room for a primary care hub for the area. Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust also runs Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey and Wexham Park Hospital, near Slough, along with satellite services in four counties.