Plans to establish a new £200m state-of-the-art hospital to replace the ageing Oldchurch complex in Romford have been hauled back from the brink of collapse.
The new acute hospital is seen as vital to provide modern health care for residents of Brentwood, Harold and the rest of Havering, but, changes to the original designs meant escalating costs were threatening the development.
At a meeting of Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust health chiefs presented a solution to the financial crisis.
Trust chief executive Peter Murphy said the trust had now been able to meet the October 31 deadline for exercising its option to purchase the proposed site at Romford's Oldchurch Park.
It is expected the £26m deal with the London Borough of Havering will be completed by the end of November.
And the trust claims this means the project - which is being funded through a Private Finance Initiative - is still on course to be completed by the end of 2005.
Brentwood and Ongar MP Eric Pickles expressed relief the plans had not been derailed by doubts over funding, but, warned: "We cannot afford a single day of delay on this project. The people of Brentwood have been suffering substandard health services for too long."
Mr Murphy said the last few weeks had been "an extremely difficult time", but, the trust had worked extremely closely with its main financial backer Catalyst to find a way forward.
Published Thursday November 7, 2002
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