A great day for Brighton and Hove’s hospital redevelopment campaign

Today we have had fantastic news for our City of Brighton and Hove.  After a long wait and an unwavering cross-party community campaign, the government has at last given the green light for funding to be released for the £420 million redevelopment of the Royal Sussex County Hospital (RSCH).

This major project will replace outdated and poorly designed buildings on the RSCH site with two new healthcare facilities, and is estimated to take eight years to complete.

It has been a long journey.  In 2008 it was agreed in principle that direct capital funding from the Treasury for our major Teaching, Trauma and Tertiary redevelopment was needed.  The project became known as the ‘3T’s.  Then started the long process of approving the business case at a local level, and then direct negotiations with the Treasury.

In September 2011 the planning application was submitted to the Council, who gave swift approval in January 2012.  All parties have since been pushing the Treasury to get on and approve the Outline Business Case (which is what has happened today). 

For my part, I have been in constant touch with the Trust about how I might best support the case for the funding to be released as soon as possible.  I have also pushed for greater transparency and more information for constituents. 

Since planning approval was secured, the behind closed doors process of getting the money from the Treasury has taken too long.  Throughout that time, I have questioned the Secretary of State for Health and I have been pushing the Chancellor to say when he would release the money.  At last, after some significant delay, we have a very happy result for our City and County.

As the building work gets underway, it will be important to work in partnership to try and keep any disruption or noise to a minimum and I will be doing everything possible to ensure related concerns from local residents living in the vicinity of the hospital are heard.

Brighton and Hove deserves a 21st century hospital and a strong NHS that puts the public first.  Our community has worked so hard for this essential redevelopment and I will be keeping up the pressure to ensure that there are no more unnecessary delays from the Treasury as the project goes forward.