NHS unveils sites for new Lancashire hospitals

Replacements for Royal Preston Hospital and Royal Lancaster Infirmary could be built on land near Farington and in Bailrigg East, respectively.

The hospitals are part of the government’s £20bn New Hospitals Programme, a scheme that also includes North Manchester General Hospital and Leighton Hospital in Crewe.

The securing of two potential sites for the replacements for Royal Preston and Royal Lancaster represents a significant milestone in their delivery. Neither location is set in stone, however, with both NHS trusts still accepting site suggestions and soliciting public feedback.

A series of consultation events and surveys regarding the potential sites are due next year.

A suitable site for Royal Preston would be within a 10-mile radius of the current facility in Fulwood. It would also need to be at least 60 acres. Good motorway links with public transport links are also a requirement.

The criteria for a Royal Lancaster replacement site is similar, although it need only be 40 acres. Like with Royal Preston, it would also need to be within 10 miles of the existing complex in Lancaster, close to a motorway, and with public transport links.

So far, the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has secured land between Stanifield Lane and Wigan Road, just south of Stoney Lane, as the future site of Royal Preston. The farmland location is within a mile of a railway station, benefits from existing bus routes, and is close to the M6 and M65. It sits within the Cuerden strategic site in South Ribble.

“Securing our preferred site is a huge step forward in our bid to create a state-of-the-art new hospital to replace Royal Preston Hospital,” said Lancashire Teaching Hospitals chief executive Silas Nicholls.

Nicholls continued: “This would provide major trauma and specialist services to the population of Lancashire and South Cumbria and acute hospital services to Central Lancashire.

“A new hospital will improve quality, safety, and patient experience and have a transformative impact on the services we will be able to provide on-site and in our wider communities, so we can meet the needs of our patients and future generations.”

Nicholls added: “In addition, it would drive much-needed investment to the region, acting as the catalyst for future jobs, skills, research and further economic development opportunities.”

Chorley Council Leader Cllr Alistair Bradley weighed in: “The new hospital is much-needed and critical to ensure that the healthcare provision across Lancashire can be fit for the future and meet new and emerging demand.

“We know that sites that are suitable for a large and modern hospital are hard to find, and so ensuring the land is secured was absolutely essential,” he continued.

“We’re pleased that we at Chorley Council and Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the MP for Chorley were able to help the programme progress by working in the background to support the negotiations between the landowner and NHS and by securing support from the government.”

For University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, the ideal spot for a new Royal Lancaster Infirmary would be at Bailrigg East, just north of Lancaster University. The 97-acre plot was previously the subject of a failed planning application from Gladman Developments for 644 homes.

This plot is close to the M6 and the A6. It is also three miles from Lancaster railway station. There are also existing bus routes along the A6 and by the university.

The trust’s chief executive, Aaron Cummins, 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,” he continued.

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

Savills acted for the private landowner of the Bailrigg site on the land deal. Simon Douglas, development director at Savills, said: “This is, without question, one of the most satisfying deals I have ever completed on behalf of a client.

“Some years back, we sold a neighbouring parcel of land to Lancaster University which has become a renowned health innovation centre,” he continued.

“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.”