Plans for a major redevelopment of Harwich Hospital and Dovercourt Health Centre have been unveiled.

Under the application, there would be a new community hospital, health centre and ambulance station.

There would also be some new homes built.

However, Tendring Primary Care Trust (PCT) has stressed the plans are at the outline stage and nothing is yet certain.

The proposal, to redevelop the existing hospital and health centre in Main Road, Dovercourt, has been put before Tendring Council.

Paul Unsworth, Tendring PCT chief executive, said: "At the moment in terms of the application it's just outline.

"We have got to try and include as broad an outline as possible, so we have got flexibility in terms of what we ultimately do."

He said a short-list of three plans had now been decided, and over the next three months that will be whittled down to one. That developer will then help decide what should be knocked down or retained.

Some residents have been unhappy that Harwich Hospital, which was created in memory of war hero Capt Fryatt, could be demolished.

Eileen Tyrer, chairman of Harwich Environmental Action Team, said there were concerns there would be no operations in the new hospital, that the building would not belong to the NHS but that the Trust would have to lease it from the private owners.

Mr Unsworth said it was proposed to have a surgical theatre and beds in the new project. He said the development would still be a NHS hospital and would be leased from the private developer.

Published Friday, April 11, 2003

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