Construction work is due to commence on the new £98 million Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot, after the project was officially green lit.

Kier will lead the project, which aims to replace the ageing Heatherwood Hospital with a new state of the art facility, located in woodland behind the current site.

Dr Tim Ho, medical director at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We are delighted that work to build a new hospital can now begin on the Heatherwood site.

"This will be a fantastic hospital fit for the 21st century, offering state-of the-art care for our patients and a first class working environment for our staff."

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The new facility will have six operating theatres and 48 inpatient beds, plus 22 day case cubicles. It will specialise in planned, non-emergency procedures such as orthopaedics, general surgery, urology, gynaecology and endoscopy. Space for the Trust's private patient unit will also be included.

The hospital will also offer a range of outpatient and diagnostic facilities such as cardiology, radiology, lithotripsy, children's clinic, physiotherapy and orthodontics and space for a primary care hub with GPs, community nurses and other healthcare specialists.

It is the latest major development in Frimley Health's £200m capital investment programme.

Frimley Health chief executive Neil Dardis added: "We are delighted that we can now deliver our vision for the Heatherwood site.

"The new hospital will ensure we can offer local patients the best care in the best environment and it is a key part of our strategy to remain an innovative and outstanding trust well into the future."

"We can't wait to get started."

The new Heatherwood Hospital is expected to be complete by late 2021.

(CM/MH)