A CONTROVERSIAL move to expand radiotherapy centres in Colchester and Southend have been approved.

Three radiotherapy machines at Essex County Hospital will be gradually replaced by five new ones at a £25 million centre to be created at Colchester General Hospital by 2016.

And Southend Hospital will get a fifth radiotherapy machine and specialised staff members to operate them following yesterday’s decision by the board of NHS Mid Essex.

Essex’s other primary care trusts have all previously approved the project, which was recommended by the Essex Cancer Network.

The decision means a campaign to get a new radiotherapy unit at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, backed by a 4,000 signature petition and MPs including Witham’s Priti Patel and Braintree’s Brooks Newmark, has failed.

* See Thursday's newspaper for the full story