Royal Berkshire Hospital: Showground flagged as hospital rebuild site

The hospital needs £200m of maintenance, according to the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

A showground has been put forward as a possible location for the rebuild of a town's hospital.

Newbury Showground near the M4/A34 interchange is the latest site to be suggested for the Royal Berkshire Hospital, currently in Reading.

White Waltham Airfield and land south of the M4, near Shinfield, have also been flagged as possible locations.

The hospital is due get Department of Health cash for the new hospital - the amount will be announced in October.

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is looking at both on-site and off-site developments because the building in London Road needs work costing about £200m.

Reading Borough Council wants the existing site redeveloped, and Wokingham wants it moved to its district, between junctions 10 and 11 of the M4, the Local Democracy Reporting Service, (LDRS) reported.

The original hospital building was constructed in 1839. Some wards on the hospital are more than 175 years old.

Residents are also being asked for their views in a consultation.