New hospital site approved to help with demand

An artist's impression of the new medical facility planned at Thorpe Wood Business Park

A new medical facility will be built in Peterborough to alleviate pressure at a privately run hospital.

The new building, named Thorpe Wood Hospital, will serve as an extension to the nearby Fitzwilliam Hospital on Milton Way, South Bretton, and create about 90 full-time jobs.

Peterborough City Council's planning committee approved the new facility, which will be constructed on Thorpe Wood Business Park, at a meeting on Tuesday.

It will typically provide a split of 60% NHS appointments and 40% via private insurance, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

These will involve around 4,500 surgeries and 25,000 consultations and scans each year.

The single-storey facility will have MRI and CT scanners, but will not have capacity for overnight stays.

An 112-space car park will be built to the south of the site.

Neil Whittingham, from applicant WW Medical Ltd, said the facility would deliver "significant benefits".

"The proposed development represents a vital enhancement to healthcare provision in Peterborough, addressing local needs and delivering significant clinical and economic benefits," he told the meeting.

The facility was approved unanimously by councillors.