Government to make decision on new Royal Lancaster Infirmary

The new health secretary, Wes Streeting, told the Commons on Tuesday that he would consider the details “carefully”.

He was speaking during a statement on the nationwide new hospitals programme, in which he said that the previous Conservative government's pledge to build 40 new hospitals by 2030 was “not deliverable in that timeframe”.

Mr. Streeting announced a review of all the projects, but the Lancaster Guardian understands that it is hoped any changes will not derail the schemes for a new Royal Lancaster Infirmary and Royal Preston Hospital - because the proposed opening dates for the new facilities had already been put back to the early-mid 2030s.

The pair were amongst eight projects which were delayed by the after the last government prioritised the replacements and refurbishments of hospitals which had been constructed with material dubbed “crumbling concrete”, putting them at risk of collapse.

However, the previous administration did approve the creation of entirely new hospitals for each of Lancaster and Preston - on sites within a 10-mile radius of the existing facilities - which had been the preference of Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS bosses.

As the Guardain has previously revealed, preferred locations for the two new builds were identified last year, although these have not been announced publicly.

Wes Streeting said in the Commons that he knew that there was “a particular urgency around land” - but did not specify whether he was referring to just one of the Lancashire projects or both.

He was responding to a question by the Lancaster and Wyre MP Cat Smith who said that now the local NHS joint investment strategic committee had “expressed its support”, the details would “soon be on the Secretary of State's desk”.

Mr. Streeting said: “There is a scheme that will be put to me shortly - I will consider that carefully and look at the programme in the round and make sure that I’m able to come back to this House, and back to the country, with promises that we can keep and promises the country can afford.”