Plans for new Leighton Hospital recommended for approval
Councillors will decide on the plans next week
By Cheshire Live
Plans for the £1.3bn replacement of Leighton Hospital in Crewe are expected to go before Cheshire East Council’s strategic planning board next week.
Plans for a new Leighton Hospital in Crewe have been recommended for approval by Cheshire East Council planning officers.
The proposals form part of the Government’s New Hospitals Programme and would replace much of the existing hospital estate, which dates back to the early 1970s.
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust submitted the planning application in December 2025 for a new hospital to be built on land next to the current Leighton site.
The application is due to be considered by Cheshire East Council’s strategic planning board on Monday, June 9.
The redevelopment is expected to cost around £1.3bn and is one of the biggest public infrastructure projects planned for the Crewe area.
The scheme is centred on a new six-storey hospital building, along with supporting buildings and changes to the wider site.
The application includes plans for a new hospital, an energy and plant building, a central sterile services department, an ambulatory cancer care centre and a multi-storey car park.
It also includes proposals to redevelop and extend parts of the existing hospital, including the emergency department, audiology and ENT unit, satellite outpatients and Ward 27/28 buildings, so they can continue to be used.
New access arrangements are also proposed, including an emergency vehicle access from Middlewich Road and a servicing access from Flowers Lane.
Full permission is being sought for the demolition of the existing South Cheshire Building and the use of that area for temporary car parking.
Most of the wider application is in outline, meaning more detailed design work would follow later if the project is approved.
The current hospital has long-running infrastructure problems, including reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, known as RAAC.
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has previously said more than 80% of the Leighton Hospital estate is affected by RAAC.
The trust has also said the existing site has operational difficulties, including long travel distances between departments, older buildings and limited flexibility for future healthcare needs.
Planning officers say the new hospital would be visually prominent on the edge of Crewe, and that construction would require the removal of most of the trees and some hedgerows within the new-build area.
Some biodiversity net gain is expected to be provided off site, with planning conditions recommended to reduce harm, protect species and secure replacement habitat.
The planning report also notes that several existing buildings around the edge of the hospital estate would be retained.
The trust hopes construction can start in 2028, subject to planning approval, business case approval and national programme requirements.
For patients, staff and families across Crewe, Nantwich, Middlewich, Winsford and the wider Mid Cheshire area, the project is one of the most significant healthcare developments in decades.
Leighton Hospital serves a population of more than 300,000 people and employs thousands of staff.
If approved, the new hospital would become the centrepiece of a wider health and care neighbourhood in Crewe.
The project is intended to provide modern clinical space, improve patient experience and create a hospital estate better suited to future demand.
The application can be viewed on Cheshire East Council’s planning portal using reference 25/4703/FUL.