A new hospital looks set to be built after the final piece of land was purchased – despite the completion date being pushed back by around 10 years.
Construction on the site – earmarked for the new Royal Preston Hospital – was originally due to begin in 2030 and be completed by the middle of that decade after the first section of land was bought in 2024.
But doors are now not expected to open until the early-mid 2040s, after the timeframe for building was brought under review by the new Labour government.
Labour accused its Conservative predecessors of failing to fund a commitment to a claimed “40 new hospitals” nationwide – including Preston.
Stanifield Lane, Farington Credit: Google Maps
The government recently released the funding for the land, off Stanifield Lane in the Farington area of South Ribble, as local NHS leaders announced the provisional plot had been acquired, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.
In January 2025, Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced that the start date for the scheme had been pushed back to between 2037 and 2039 – meaning the new hospital would not be treating patients for the best part of 20 years.
However, the NHS was permitted to draw down the finance to secure the remaining part of the 64-acre site in March 2026.
The proposed site for the new Royal Preston Hospital. Credit: LDRS
That portion of the plot was owned by Lancashire County Council, which is developing the ‘Lancashire Central’ logistics, retail and leisure hub on adjoining land.
The amounts paid have not yet been made publicly available. The cost estimate for the overall hospital development was set at £2bn when it was published almost 18 months ago.
The NHS has stressed that any new site would be subject to public consultation before being confirmed. Planning permission would also be required.
