Politicians call on Government again to back plans for new Doncaster hospital

Council mayor Ros Jones and Labour MPs Ed Miliband and Rosie Winterton, have written to Health Secretary Matt Hancock to consider the borough in building a ‘carbon zero hospital with an integrated teaching faculty’.

Despite numerous visits to Doncaster Royal Infirmary by Government officials, the borough was snubbed in a recent announcement which outlined plans to build a number of new hospitals.

Doncaster was seen to be in the running for a new site to replace the 90-plus year old hospital especially after Mr Hancock visited the site at the request of Tory Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher.

A site close to Doncaster College along Waterfront has been chosen for a potential new hospital, which would also include a medical research and university centre.

The current Doncaster Royal Infirmary, originally built in 1930, is in need of major maintenance works worth £67 million, and faces significant demand, as NHS workers treat people with the coronavirus.

Prior to Covid-19, the A&E department which was built to manage a peak of 200-250 patients was routinely dealing with 350-400 every day.

In a joint letter, the Doncaster Labour politicians said: “The proposal to build the new hospital on Doncaster’s Waterfront will also deliver many wider socio-economic, regeneration and strategic benefits.

“This is the largest brownfield site in the UK and its town centre proximity would help drive much needed transformation under our Urban Centre Masterplan.

“Following the recent changes made to the Green Book, this is a great example of development that will deliver much wider place based and economic regeneration benefits that go beyond a Benefits Cost Ratio.

“Building it on a site that has incredible potential due to its proximity in the urban centre, and being next to a marina, means it would serve as a catalyst to help transform Doncaster urban centre.

“The new hospital would act as an anchor development, levering commercial investment and would help drive Doncaster’s economic recovery.”

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