AMBITIOUS plans for a radical overhaul of Altrincham General have been approved by health bosses.

The body that runs Trafford’s hospitals has been granted permission to develop the Market Street hospital’s premises by the North West Strategic Health Authority, which works to improve healthcare services.

Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust had put forward three options for the site – refurbishing the existing Victorian building, selling off St Anne’s Hospital, building a new facility and disposing of the entire site or finding an alternative town centre location.

Now an outline bid has been approved, Trust bosses can invite contractors to submit plans and consult the public before deciding which option it wants to take.

Ron Calvert, the Trust’s chief executive, said the redevelopment is "crucial" because the building is in poor condition with limited disabled access.

Welcoming the SHA’s decision, he said: "This is fantastic news.

"The people of Altrincham deserve much better healthcare facilities than the current building can provide.

"We are 100 per cent committed to providing all the same healthcare services in Altrincham, but in a much more modern, comfortable and easily accessible environment.

"The Strategic Health Authority North West’s approval of the outline business case is a significant development and takes us closer to achieving that vision."

The next step for the Trust is to bring in prospective partners and contractors which will be asked to hand over detailed plans showing how they would redevelop the site and how much it would cost.

The property firm behind the controversial Altair complex, Nikal, has already told Metro News it is devising a bid to move the hospital to its Oakfield Road site. Any plans for the hospital will then be put to the public before the Trust decides on one option. It will then submit a final business case to the SHA for approval.

Altrincham and Sale West MP Graham Brady said he was "very excited by this latest development" particularly as the hospital had been earmarked for closure three years ago. "Those of us who have campaigned to save the hospital from closure can now look forward to working with the Trust to create the modern facility that Altrincham and Sale people need," he said.

"I hope this will be a new and better hospital on the existing site which serves local people so well."

For more information about the proposals see www.trafford.nhs.uk.

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