THE CHIEF executive of Warrington Hospital has confirmed that the site could be closed in order to build a new ‘state-of-the-art’ facility.

On Friday Warrington North MP Helen Jones claimed that the hospital was set to move to a site south of the Manchester Ship Canal, ‘close to rural Cheshire’.

Today, Warrington and Halton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust chief executive Mel Pickup confirmed that a move was possible but that no specific location had yet been considered.

Ms Pickup said that the town’s health infrastructure was ‘struggling to cope with demand’ and pointed to ‘spiralling’ maintenance costs at Warrington Hospital and its ‘gridlocked’ car parks as reasons to look into a move.

She said: “Warrington Borough Council has just completed consultation on its local plan where intentions to build more than 5,000 new homes and add nearly 300 hectares of employment land have been shared.

“It is therefore essential to consider the impact on the town’s existing health infrastructure which includes a growing elderly population and is already struggling to cope with demand.

“Some of Warrington Hospital’s estate is now more than 100 years old which does not provide a good patient experience, and essential maintenance costs are spiralling.

“Anyone who use the hospital will recognise that the site is completely gridlocked.

“Now is the time to consider planning for a new state-of-the-art, modern hospital for the people of Warrington and Halton.

“No specific new locations have been considered at this time.”

Mrs Jones had earlier labelled the proposal as ‘outrageous’ and ‘inaccessible for most of Warrington’.

She said: “This plan is outrageous and would massively disadvantage my constituents in Warrington North.

“This would create a Warrington Hospital which would be inaccessible for most of Warrington.

“I will do everything in my power to oppose these plans – whilst a new hospital building would be welcome it would need to be at a site which is accessible to the majority of the town.

“This proposal would benefit rural Cheshire much more than Warrington.

“I will be seeking an urgent meeting with the chief executive of Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Trust to discuss these plans.”