Ground breaks for Beverley's community hospital

The £19 million unit will replace the town's Westwood Hospital

Construction has started on a new community hospital in Beverley.

The 30-bed unit on Swinemoor Lane will include a minor injuries unit, diagnostic services including ultrasound and MRI scanning, outpatient facilities and palliative care beds, as well as community allotments.

"The way that we've designed [the facility] is to tone in with the environment," explained Karen Knapton, the chairman of NHS East Riding of Yorkshire.

"Patients will be able to look out onto the green fields; there will be walkways for patients as they are rehabilitated. Also looking at community allotments and planting trees and making it a very friendly environment, which hopefully the community will enjoy.

Development of the £19 million facility was delayed when protected Great Crested newts were discovered on the site, which were subsequently trapped and removed.

"We are aware that there are some [Great Crested newts] on Swinemoor," said Mrs Knapton.

"What we've done is put up a newt fence around the edge of the field and this will be permanent so that the newts won't be able to get onto this site in the future and won't be harmed in any way."

The hospital is expected to open in spring 2012.