James Cartlidge MP, Jo Churchill MP & Lord Markham at the new West Suffolk Hospital site
A Government Minister has planted the first tree at the site of the new hospital serving West Suffolk, to mark the project’s progress.
The first ‘buffer tree’ at the new West Suffolk Hospital site at Hardwick Manor was planted by Lord Markham CBE – the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Department of Health and Social Care – on Friday morning.
Lord Markham, who is responsible for the New Hospital Programme, was joined by several local Members of Parliament, including South Suffolk MP James Cartlidge, as well as Gary Norgate, programme director for the new West Suffolk Hospital project.
Mr Norgate said he felt emotional at the planting of the buffer trees, which will be used to reduce the visual and sound impact of the new hospital.
He said: “It feels real, and seeing diggers here makes it all the realer”.
Confirming that a power connection has been secured for the Hardwick Manor site, he added: “As much as it can be, everything is on track. We’ve had a lot of support from lots of different agencies and the plan is the entire new hospital will be operational in 2030.”
“In the next three years, we will be out of the ground.”
Mr Cartlidge said: “This is a new hospital being built from scratch and we are moving forward with the key developmental stuff.”
He also spoke about the importance of considering the environmental impact of the new hospital, ahead of work starting.
In 2020, West Suffolk was confirmed as one of 40 new hospitals across the country, which the Government has committed to build by 2030 as part of the Health Infrastructure Plan.
Published in the Suffolk Free Press on Thursday 29th February 2024.
