Hospital earmarked for flats put up for sale

Image source, Google

Image caption, Most of the Babington Hospital site is Grade II listed
  • Author, Eddie Bisknell
  • Role, Local Democracy Reporting Service

A historic Derbyshire hospital has been put on the market by the NHS.

Babington Hospital in Derby Road, Belper, is being sold after nearly 200 years of use, with the last health services to leave the property next year once the new Belper Health Centre is built on the site.

The property, built originally as a workhouse in 1838, was deemed unfit for refurbishment as a healthcare facility in 2018.

It is now being advertised for sale, with advice it could be turned into more than 70 flats.

A price has not been provided for the hospital complex, with the listing detailing the four-acre site is open for offers, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Estate agent Avison Young said: "The current planning use is C2 Hospital but pre-application discussions are positive towards the conversion to form over 70 residential units."

During an NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) meeting on Thursday, officials were asked about the possibility of housing an urgent treatment centre on the Babington Hospital site.

Richard Wright, chair of the ICB, which oversees health and care organisations across the county and city, said the building was deemed "not viable for refurbishment as a healthcare facility".

He said the ICB did not intend to review the decision, which followed discussions with residents.

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