Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has announced a major step forward in its plans for a new hospital by working to secure full planning consent.
The Trust is starting public engagement to support its application for detailed planning consent of its much-needed new hospital at Leeds General Infirmary, ahead of the next design stage.
Plans to build a new, state-of-the-art hospital at Leeds General Infirmary will include a new home for Leeds Children’s Hospital, a new adults’ hospital and one of the largest, single site maternity centres in the UK. It will deliver a world-class healthcare facility for more than 1.6 million patients from across the region each year, including 200,000 of its youngest patients and will support the delivery of up to 10,000 babies each year.
The Trust secured Outline Planning Consent in 2020 and despite ongoing national delays has since made significant progress with its planning and preparatory works, including having a cleared construction site. It is one of the most advanced and ready to go schemes in the national New Hospital Programme and will now be one of the first Trusts to move forwards to secure full planning consent to deliver its much-needed new hospital for patients in Yorkshire.
With continuing strong engagement with the New Hospital Programme and the public, the Trust is securing detailed planning consent for its design proposals to ensure the scheme remains in a strong position to keep its plans on track and to minimise the risk of further delays once the outcome of the Government’s review of the New Hospital Programme has been announced.
A public engagement campaign launching today with events commencing in January 2025 will inform and update stakeholders, local councillors, MPs and members of the public on the latest progress, the Trust’s advanced design, and its proposals to secure full planning consent. Events, workshops and an online information hub will be available for members of the public to obtain updates and pledge support for the new hospital plans. This engagement will support the preparation and submission of an application for full planning consent, which is now being progressed.
Designed to be more sustainable, harnessing the latest technology, and aligned to national standardised design principles, the new hospital will be more efficient and effective to run as well as reducing the Trust’s maintenance backlog. The neighbouring Innovation Village, which will be developed alongside the new hospital, will also deliver more than 4,000 new jobs and £13 billion of economic benefit as a go-to destination for research, health tech and digital innovation.
Prof Phil Wood, Chief Executive of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said: “We’re committed to our plans for a new hospital, including a new Children’s Hospital here in Leeds. Our new hospital is essential to continue to support the delivery of our world-class children’s, maternity and adult services and will bring enormous benefits to patients, staff and communities in Yorkshire and beyond.
“Our new hospital will also bring excellent value for public money and, by creating an Innovation Village, will deliver the latest technology to patients’ bedside and bring a huge economic boost to the region.
“Our plans for the new hospital are among the most advanced and ready-to-go schemes and we’re proud to be among the first Trusts to make this positive step forward towards securing full planning consent.
“As a Trust, we have been faced with national delays over the past four years which have incurred more than £300m in additional costs to date. These delays have continued to place operational and financial challenges on us and we are keen to mitigate the impact of any further national delays and resulting cost increases where we can. We continue to engage with the New Hospital Programme on our plans, which have received strong support from MPs alongside regional and national stakeholders.”
The Trust continues its strong engagement with New Hospitals Programme and Government to demonstrate the strength of its proposals which deliver excellent value for money and were initially approved in 2020.
The launch of this public engagement today will build upon strong community, stakeholder, City Council, local councillor and MP support that the Trust already has secured and reflects the Government’s commitment to invest in new hospitals. Patients, families and local communities are encouraged to take part in the engagement activity for the new hospital, attend an event or log on to find out more about how they can support the plans for the new hospital.
Events will take place in venues across the city with communities invited to attend from January 2025. Further information will be available by visiting Public Engagement – A new hospital for Leeds – Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (leedsth.nhs.uk)