PLANS for the £663 million redevelopment of Leighton Hospital in Crewe have moved a step closer after a bid for funding was made.

The ambitious plans for a 'new' hospital would see 85 per cent of the site rebuilt as Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust looks to replace the current medical complex, which was built in 1972, with a state-of-the-art facility.

Hospital chiefs have formally submitted their bid for funding to the Department of Health and Social Care after outlining their vision for Leighton's future last October (see video above).

Local MPs, including Crewe and Nantwich representative Kieran Mullan, wrote to Health Secretary Sajid Javid in July calling on him to include Leighton in the government's multi-billion-pound new hospital building programme.

Boris Johnson has extended the programme to include eight additional sites and a final decision is due to be made in spring 2022.

The type of materials used to build Leighton in the 1970s has resulted in significant spending to resolve safety risks, including using reinforced concrete planks in the roof and walls.

With pressures on public finances, independent analysis shows the projected new build cost is around £100 million less than the continued refurbishment of Leighton over the next 15 years.

James Sumner, Chief Executive of the Mid Cheshire Trust, said: "Our vision for the new Leighton is for a carbon neutral facility that will play a vital role at the heart of the community and support the delivery of a new clinical model – a blueprint for providing care both in and out of hospital."

Murray Luckas, the Trust's Medical Director, added: "A new hospital provides a unique opportunity to transform the experience of both patients and staff, working closely with our many partners.

"Our aim is to ensure that digital innovation is at the forefront of health services designed to tackle inequalities and meet the needs of a growing and ageing population."

The trust says it has an ongoing commitment to enhance its clinical facilities and a new emergency department is due to open at Leighton by the end of the year.

It says continued investment is a key component of a new five-year strategy, which it plans on unveiling next month.