Go ahead given for £19m hospital

The government has given the go ahead for a new £19m community hospital in a Worcestershire town.

Malvern's new hospital will replace the town's current one in Lansdowne Crescent, which was built in 1911.

Local residents spent years campaigning for the new hospital, which is expected to open in 2010 at Seaford Court, in Worcester Road.

Dr Bryan Smith, chairman of Worcestershire Primary Care Trust, said he was "absolutely delighted".

The project, which will cost a total of £19.3m, was announced by health minister Ben Bradshaw.

'Commitment honoured'

Dr Smith said: "We are all absolutely delighted that the government has provided us with the capital resources to build a new hospital for local people in Malvern and we are at long last in sight of our goal for 21st Century community healthcare in the town.

"We promised that we would make every effort to secure a new hospital and we have honoured that commitment."

West Worcestershire MP Sir Michael Spicer, who helped campaign for the hospital, said it was "absolutely fantastic news".

He said: "The existing hospital has done a wonderful job but it's reached the end of its days.

"It really has because essential for some time now that a new hospital was needed."