New hospital for Hythe gains planning permission

The multimillion pound plan involves a new hospital for Hythe and Dibden on the site of the current hospital, and the new facility would continue to provide a wide range of services for the local community. The decision has been welcomed by both West Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS Property Services.

Local people, including the Hythe and Dibden War Memorial Hospital League of Friends and The Royal British Legion, have been key to shaping the plans. The hospital is being designed by ArchitecturePLB.

John Carr, Chairman of the League of Friends, said “I am delighted that we finally have planning permission for the new hospital. We now have the opportunity to ensure that a new building will provide as many services for the community as possible.”

Services available at the site would include physiotherapy, audiology and gynaecology, with community nurse, respiratory and diabetes clinics also planned. The new hospital would be better equipped to deliver these services and would improve the experience of patients attending appointments and the dedicated staff who work at the hospital.

Dr Sarah Schofield, Chairman of West Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group said: “I am delighted that planning permission has been granted for the construction of a new hospital at Hythe.  We have been working with partners in NHS Property Services, NHS England and local architect ArchitecturePLB to design a new hospital for the residents of Hythe and surrounding area and this means we can now take the development forward to the next stage.”

Catherine Webster, NHS Property Services Senior Construction Manager, said: “This is an important step forward for the project, with the people of Hythe and Dibden and the wider New Forest community coming a step closer to the development of local modern facilities.”

NHS partners are now working together to finalise and agree the plans to enable the development to progress.