Decision on Worcester A&E expansion under judicial review

Plans to expand an accident and emergency department have been resubmitted after an approved scheme was made subject of a judicial review.

The plans for Worcestershire Royal Hospital were approved in September.

Documents say Worcester City Council failed to impose a noise condition in respect of the initial permission, which has led to the judicial review.

The hospital trust said it has put the same plans forward for a new decision to avoid delays to the work.

Judicial review is a type of court case in which someone challenges the lawfulness of a government or public body decision.

The decision could be declared unlawful - or quashed - by the courts which may mean a decision has to be made by council planners again.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said planning documents say it is likely to be "several months before the litigation is concluded" and to avoid a "potential delay" a further application for planning permission for the same scheme is being made.

Matthew Hopkins, chief executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said work was "continuing as planned" with the first patients expected to be treated there by the end of 2022.

"We have been notified by the council that due to a procedural issue our application for planning permission has to be formally reconsidered by the planning committee," he said.

"We remain focussed on delivering this important development for the benefit of our patients and our staff."

The work will see the A&E department at the hospital relocated and a new "emergency village" created.

A dedicated children's A&E department will also be built.

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