Rejection of new hospital for Bolton described as 'bizarre'

The  build plan for £100million but was rejected by the government last year.

But repair costs have soared to £80million for the exiting “ageing” building prompting questions why Bolton was not amongst 40 hospitals around the country chosen for a new building.

Bolton Council cabinet member for health Cllr Linda Thomas said: “To hear that we’ve got £80M worth of repairs needing doing when the new one would have cost £100M its just bizarre that we weren’t chosen.”

She added: “The staff have all been working really hard to deliver and your heart really does go out to them.

An artist's impression of the new building (Image: Bolton NHS Foundation Trust)

“So when you consider that they’re already going to spend £80M on refurbishing the existing building, as I say I just think its bizarre.

“It’s certainly not levelling up! It could have been such a flagship project for the town.”

Plans had been approved for the new hospital, on the existing Royal Bolton Hospital site on Minerva Road, Farnworth back in 2021.

Royal Bolton Hospital, on Minerva Road, Farnworth (Image: Bolton NHS Foundation Trust)

It would have spanned over 25,000 square metres and house just under 200 beds

Bolton NHS Foundation Trust had hoped to secure funding for the scheme from the government’s Health Infrastructure Plan.

This was described at the time as the “biggest boldest, hospital building programme in a generation.”

But the bid was turned down, a decision the trust described as “disappointing but not unexpected, given the financial climate.”

Bolton South East MP Yasmin Qureshi, who’s constituency includes the Minerva Road hospital, says she fears this decision could end up costing more money longer term.

She said: “It is disappointing that again the government has failed to stump up the money that our NHS needs.

“Royal Bolton Hospital has an aging building estate and it is clear that improvements are needed.

“I fear that the government are happy to leave the hospital to patch up and make do with what it has, rather than doing the job properly.

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“Everyone knows putting off the inevitable just ends up costing us more in the long run.”

But the government has said it has invested billions of pounds on NHS buildings all around the country.