New building at Chichester hospital approved

A new temporary building has been given the green light which will help St Richard’s Hospital to tackle it’s growing waiting lists caused by the pandemic.

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust’s has been given planning permission for the temporary two-storey modular building at its treatment centre while will expand its capacity.

In its design and access statement the trust said: “The principal purpose of this facility will be to supplement the facilities of the existing Chichester Treatment Centre (CTC) and Outpatients Unit, which requires additional capacity to support the restoration of services and recovery of patient waiting lists that have been severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The facility will provide essential extra clinical capacity, assisting the Trust’s restoration and recovery plans for elective surgery and outpatients.

“The additional capacity will also enable the expansion of the hospital’s Urgent Treatment Centre, needed to relieve pressure on the Emergency Department which is seeing unprecedented attendances.

The lifespan of the building will be limited to five years, in line with predicted time-frames to restore waiting lists to pre-pandemic levels, and is being funded as part of national investment in the NHS for this purpose.

The proposed site for the building is a grassed area outside the existing CTC building, which contains numerous outpatients’ services.

The proposed building will be sited where the existing pedestrian path linking the CTC and the adjacent Fernhurst Centre, which is the hospital’s cancer treatment centre and will face the Fernhurst Centre.

The pedestrian route will be reinstated to allow for safe movement of patients and staff across the site.

Two existing trees and two existing hedges will be removed but following the removal of the building a new tree will be replanted.

To view the full application visit Chichester District Council’s planning portal using the reference: 21/03577/FUL