Braintree's new 30-bed community hospital, set to be given the go-ahead by planners on Tuesday, could be open by spring 2006.
The multi-million pound scheme by Witham, Braintree and Halstead Care Trust for the development of 6.62 acres on the St Michael's Hospital site will be carried out in three phases.
Phase 1 will be a new 10-partner surgery fronting Rayne Road, for the Blandford House surgery in Braintree, likely to be built within l8 months.
Phase 2 includes the £11m hospital to be built by private finance, the construction of a new access on to Rayne Road and the building of a second 10-GP surgery for the Mount Chambers practice. This is likely to be completed in 2006.
Phase 3, which will follow soon after, will involve demolition of the existing day hospital and its replacement by a new car park.
The listed former hospital, an old workhouse dating from 1837 and now largely vacated, together with other old redbrick buildings, will be redeveloped, probably for flats.
Braintree Area Committee will be recommended on Tuesday to approve the planning application for the hospital.
Published Friday, April 25, 2003
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