Major hospital relocation plans put to public

Royal Berkshire Hospital has been in Reading since 1839

Healthcare bosses have launched a public consultation on the potential relocation of a major hospital.

The Royal Berkshire Hospital could move to either Thames Valley Park or Thames Valley Science Park as part of plans being put the public.

The county's largest hospital, the Royal Berkshire has been based in Reading since 1839.

But it is expected to cost £200m to restore the current site, with some wards on the hospital more than 175 years old.

The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, said: "Our ageing estate makes it difficult for us to deliver modern healthcare in the way we would like – the buildings were designed at a different time to care for fewer patients with different needs than those of today."

It is one of 48 trusts that will receive government funding to rebuild or construct new hospitals by 2030.

Reading Borough Council has said previously it was worried some residents might not be able to reach the potential new sites.

Potential sites

Thames Valley Park sits next to the River Thames

Thames Valley Park is situated at the bottom of the A329(M) between New Town, in East Reading, and Earley.

The 80 acre business park sits alongside the River Thames and a nature reserve.

It is 2.2 miles (3.5km) from the current hospital site.

Thames Valley Science Park is next to Shinfield Studios

Thames Valley Science Park is located just off junction 11 of the M4, next to Shinfield Studios - one of the UK's newest and largest TV and film studios.

The site is 3.7 miles (5.9km) from the Royal Berks.

Steve McManus, chief executive of the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We have been very clear, as a hospital our preferences would be a new hospital built on a site other than the current Royal Berks Hospital site,” he added.

On a recent visit to Heatherwood Hospital, in Ascot, health secretary Wes Streeting told the BBC that he was "committed to the rebuilding of the Royal Berkshire Hospital."

"I’ve asked the department [of health] to report to me as a matter of urgency when we can realistically deliver, so that I can come back and be honest with the local community about how quickly we can move,” the minister added.

Earlier in the year, over 2,3000 people filled in an online survey aiming to collect views on how to best evaluate potential sites.

The results of the survey were used to narrow down 17 potential sites to the two named sites.

There is no fixed closing date for the Building Berkshire Together survey.