PLANS to rebuild the Heatherwood Hospital have cleared a significant hurdle.

After the Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust’s proposals for the build were approved by the borough-wide Development Management Panel in August, the Communities and Local Government secretary MP Sajid Javid had to decide whether to challenge the decision.

As the £90m transformation project sits on Green Belt land, the secretary of state had the power to call for a public inquiry.

Councillor David Coppinger revealed at a meeting of the council’s Health and Wellbeing Board last Tuesday however, that the application will not be called in for questioning.

He said: "It means that they have given it the greenlight.

"It is really good news. There are various conditions we included in the permission when it was granted, however none of these should be blocked.

"I honestly did not think it would be called in but we have seen examples of similar projects going to enquiry.

"It was a risk, but a new hospital in the area at a time when many areas are closing this is a massive win for the residents."

The plans include building a new elective care hospital next to the current worn down Heatherwood, replacing the old building with 230 new homes and a new primary care GP hub.

Planning officers recommended councillors block the plans due to the ‘significant area of woodland’ which would be lost due to parking proposals for the site, but they were overruled by councillors.