Mixed reaction as decision date set for new Northumberland hospital complex

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s proposed £25million development on the site of Berwick’s existing infirmary is recommended for approval at the Tuesday, December 1, meeting of Northumberland County Council’s strategic planning committee.

Full planning permission is being sought for the demolition of the existing infirmary and the creation of a two-storey building to accommodate all of the existing services plus a GP practice for Well Close Medical Group. The building’s Bell Tower would be retained.

A new, purpose-built energy centre is proposed in the north-east of the site and would provide heating, water and power to the existing hospital until the new building is complete.

The trust says that the hospital’s ‘modern design incorporates sustainability and efficiency in the final choice of materials and will embrace the latest technology in delivering the highest quality of care’.

However, the design, scale and mass are among the complaints raised in the 27 objections sparked by the scheme, which has also attracted a letter of support from Berwick Civic Society saying the proposal would ‘replace an incoherent and lacklustre hospital’.

Other concerns include access and parking, the impact on the character of the area, and how it would affect the residential amenity of neighbours.

The conclusion in the planning officer’s report states: ‘This application seeks to support the improvement of the Berwick Infirmary site in the interests of maintaining and improving standards including better healthcare services, that can only be provided through delivery of a new modern facility.

‘This application addresses the requirements expected of a new-build hospital, but also that these requirements have been balanced with the sensitivities of the site’s context, including the amenity of residents and heritage assets.’

Progress on the new facility, which has been on the cards for a number of years, was originally announced in autumn 2018, but sparked a backlash as residents opposed it sharing a site with the new leisure centre.

Northumbria Healthcare, in partnership with NHS Northumberland Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), backed down on the co-location proposals and in May 2019 announced that the new stand-alone hospital would be built on the current infirmary site – something which had previously been ruled out.

When the plans were lodged back in June, the trust was eyeing a target completion date for the new hospital of spring 2022.

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