New military rehabilitation centre to get extra £70m

Prince William opening the new rehab centre at Stanford Hall

An extra £70m will be invested in a newly opened treatment centre for military personnel.

The Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre (DNRC), at Stanford Hall, Nottinghamshire, deals with amputees and complex brain injuries.

The money will help to build a second centre for civilians recuperating from major trauma injuries.

In June, the Duke of Cambridge and the Prime Minister took part in the official handover ceremony.

The announcement for the additional funding was made during the chancellor's Budget on Monday.

Drone footage shows Stanford Hall rehab centre progress

In a statement, the DNRC Charity said: "From the outset the DNRC Programme has included the intention to create a specialist clinical rehabilitation facility for civilians alongside the armed forces establishment, sharing its expertise and facilities to mutual advantage."

Councillor Kay Cutts, leader of the Conservative-run Nottinghamshire County Council, said it was a "world-leading facility".

"I know from my tour of the facilities that the centre also brings opportunities for research and training... making our county a national hub for expertise in this area," she said.

PA Headley CourtPA
The DNRC will be four times larger than Headley Court, the previous rehabilitation centre

The new £300m facility, in Stanford on Soar, on the county border into Leicestershire, has taken over from Headley Court in Surrey.

As well as gymnasiums and hydrotherapy pools, it offers cutting edge technology such as 3D printing of prosthetic limbs.

It is four times larger in size than the previous centre and can treat up to 200 armed forces personnel.

Stanford Hall was owned by the late 6th Duke of Westminster, who started the project, and was handed over by his son.

PA Theresa May, 7th Duke of Westminster and Prince WilliamPA
Theresa May, the 7th Duke of Westminster and Prince William all attended the handover ceremony in June
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