Planning consultation launched for new Leighton Hospital

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has launched a non-statutory public consultation for its plans to build the new Leighton.

As part of the consultation, the Trust will host a series of in-person events where people can learn about the plans and speak directly to the Trust’s Healthier Futures programme team which is delivering this ambitious scheme. These include:

• Thursday 6 November 2025 – 3pm to 7pm at Hopes and Beams, Broad Street, Crewe, CW1 3UD
• Saturday 8 November 2025 – 11am to 3pm at Crewe Market Hall, 27 Earle St, Crewe CW1 2BL

The outline planning application for the new hospital and supporting infrastructure will be submitted to Cheshire East Council in December. It includes:

Approximately 107,500sqm of new replacement hospital floorspace in the form of a six-storey hospital building (plus rooftop plant, max. 40m height), alongside ancillary buildings to accommodate the Central Sterile Services Department (CSSD) and new energy infrastructure.

A new four storey Ambulatory Cancer Care (ACC) Centre (plus rooftop equipment, max.20m height) providing an additional 5,000sqm of floorspace.

Retention, alteration and/or expansion of four existing hospital buildings to work alongside the new facilities.

New vehicular access routes from both Middlewich Road and Flowers Lane, separating blue light and service vehicles from the main hospital access points.

A new Multi Storey Car Park comprising up to 1,000 spaces (max. 22m height) alongside new and/or reconfiguring of existing surface car parking for staff and patients.

The Trust will also be submitting a separate detailed application for new surface-level car parking to the south of the current site. This includes:

• Provision of 310 new car parking spaces.
• New vehicular and pedestrian access from Smithy Lane.
• Landscaping, drainage infrastructure and associated works.

Russ Favager, the Trust’s Board Senior Responsible Officer for Leighton New Hospital Programme, said: “This is an exciting time, as we have a once in a generation opportunity to change how healthcare is delivered. I would strongly encourage people to attend the events and be part of this shared journey.

“We have a bold ambition to create a health and care neighbourhood with a new Leighton at its heart. The new hospital is being designed so meet the needs of a growing population, while improving how patients access them, ensuring the right care, at the right time, in the right place.

“This proposed development is not only one of the largest infrastructure projects in the region for decades but is nationally significant as the build is a reference scheme for the Hospital 2.0 design approach. Hospital 2.0 is the blueprint for all future hospitals across the country by standardising how new hospital schemes can be delivered with greater efficiency and reduced cost. So this is an amazing honour for the Trust, and the region.”

The proposed new Leighton hospital will be one of the most high-tech, digitally advanced hospitals in the UK. It will be built on the land purchased in 2024 to the north of the existing hospital site in Crewe.

For full details go to Healthier Futures microsite.