New Thorpe Wood Hospital plans approved
Plans for a new hospital in Peterborough have been approved by councillors.
Peterborough City Council’s planning committee met on Tuesday, October 21 to discuss proposals from WW Medical Ltd for a new medical facility in Thorpe Wood.
The proposed facility, to be named Thorpe Wood Hospital, will serve as an extension to the nearby Fitzwilliam Hospital in South Bretton.
Neil Whittingham of WW Medical Ltd told committee members: “The proposed development represents a vital enhancement to healthcare provision in Peterborough, addressing local needs and delivering significant clinical and economic benefits.”
Members heard that expansion of the Fitzwilliam Hospital was urgently required and that the new Thorpe Wood facility would be able to provide on-site MRI and CT scanners for early diagnostic and surgical intervention.
It will also provide more bed capacity for more complex surgical procedures, but will not include any overnight accommodation.
The proposed development, whilst functioning as a private medical facility, will typically have a split of 60 per cent NHS cases and 40 per cent private insurance cases.
It will reportedly alleviate Fitzwilliam Hospital’s capacity constraints by transferring an estimated 4,637 elective day-case surgical procedures and 24,614 outpatient consultations and diagnostic scans annually
Despite the health benefits, the local highways authority raised an objection to the plans with concerns around an increase in traffic at a “capacity constrained junction” at Thorpe Wood.
Mr Whittingham argued that the development impact would be “imperceptible” to anyone using the junction.
An officer report put before the planning committee stated: “The health inequalities that face Peterborough are substantial and justify the need to overcome the highway concerns on this occasion.”
It was confirmed that a number of conditions would be implemented to mitigate the highways impact.
Councillors unanimously agreed with the officer recommendation to approve the planning application, subject to 21 conditions listed in the report.
“What’s not to like for the people of this city,” Cllr Peter Hiller of Peterborough First said.
“With the stats that we’re told about health issues that we have in this city, I think this would be an opportunity missed if we didn’t approve this.”
The one-story medical facility will be operated by 142 members of staff working on a shift basis, creating around 90 full-time jobs in total, and a 112-space car park will be built to the south of the site.