£380m Midland Metropolitan Hospital business case approved

The new hospital is earmarked for land off Grove Lane in Smethwick

NHS managers have approved the business case to build a new £380m hospital in the West Midlands.

Plans for the 670-bed Midland Metropolitan Hospital have been drawn up by Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals Trust for land in Smethwick.

It would replace Sandwell Hospital and City Hospital in Winson Green, it said.

The NHS Trust development agency has approved the business case. It said the final decision would be made by the treasury in the next few months.

Chairman of Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals Trust, Richard Samuda, said he was "pleased at this important milestone".

He said: "In 2006, local people supported the need to change the shape of services here to improve quality... and we are working to open our new facilities in 2018."

The development, which is earmarked for a site off Grove Lane in Smethwick, has the support of Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group, he said.