Westley
Below is a summary of the Westley site and addresses the three following points, the risk associated with being able to buy the land and complexity of the construction process, the cost of the overall project and the effect on patient care and experience.
This site, close to the A14, on the edge of Westley has long since been identified within West Suffolk Council’s plan for the town as a location for a new West Suffolk Hospital.
The risk associated with being able to buy the land and the complexity of the construction process:
Despite being earmarked for health purposes, there is no guarantee that we would be able to buy the land. Historically, other NHS hospitals have faced challenges in obtaining land and this was a concern. The purchase of this site is made more difficult by the fact that it has multiple owners, all of whom would need to agree a sale and a price. The site has also been identified for residential development, a fact that complicates the planning process and increases the cost of a development as a relief road would be required to.
The cost of the overall project:
To avoid the operational difficulties of a hospital split over two sites, a ‘greenfield’ site such as Westley would need to host our entire hospital and its associated buildings. This would lead to the demolition of modern buildings and the need to acquire a significant piece of land – both of which would increase cost and wastage.
The effect on patient care and experience:
As mentioned, the ability of a site to provide access to a natural environment is an important factor in the recovery of patients and the wellbeing of staff. The Westley site does not have access to green space and the hospital would be in close proximity to a major road, a railway a housing estate and a relief road. This was viewed as undesirable in terms of outlook for patients and staff as well as being a source of noise and pollution.
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