Maldon: Developers remain interested in providing new hospital (From Gazette)

Maldon: Developers remain interested in providing new hospital

4:30pm Saturday 8th September 2012 in Maldon

Developers harbouring ambitions of building a new hospital in Maldon remain tight-lipped on their progress.

Last year, Kensington and Edinburgh Estates proposed a land swap deal that would see a hospital built, free of charge to the taxpayer, at Maldon Hall Farm, off Spital Road, in exchange for permission to turn the existing hospital site into a food retail development.

But the proposals have taken a back seat in recent months, with NHS North Essex identifying refurbishing the main building at the existing St Peter’s Hospital and extending to the rear of the site, as its preferred option for delivering a new community hospital.

Health bosses, however, have refused to rule out considering options put forward from the private sector.

Director of K&E Estates, Spencer Cooper, told the Standard the company is still keen to provide a hospital and that he hopes to announce some “very exciting news shortly”.

Nick Mann, director of Dartmouth Park Estates, which hopes to offer a new hospital as part of a huge development off Wycke Hill, said he also remained interested, but that the restructuring of the NHS is making matters confusing.

He was far more optimistic about other aspects of the plans.

Mr Mann was particularly pleased that Maldon District Council ’s Local Development Plan has earmarked its site as part of an area in south Maldon it hopes can deliver 1,250 homes between 2014 and 2029.

He said: “It shows that they’ve agreed with our assessment that it’s the most sustainable site in the district for new homes and the various other development needs.

“That’s very positive and encouraging.”