Europe's biggest children's hospital

LIVERPOOL'S Alder Hey hospital is in talks with Sefton, Wirral and Knowsley borough councils about a possible move out of the city.

The Daily Post understands that Europe's biggest children's hospital fears its plans to rebuild and modernise on its existing site will not go smoothly.

And last night hospital executives said they were seriously considering options to move out to another borough.

It follows opposition to their plans to expand on to neighbouring parkland, the favourite option for the hospital's rebuilding programme.

But a city planning councillor last night said it would it was unlikely to get permission for the plans.

This also follows the news that The Royal Liverpool hospital may also be leaving Liverpool.

What's going on? I would like both to stay in the city.

URGENT talks will be held between officials to stop Alder Hey hospital leaving Liverpool.

Senior city councillors agreed to enter fresh discussions to try to sort settle the future of the children's hospital.

As revealed in the ECHO, health officials considered 15 sites, with Springfield Park and one near the A557 in Widnes favourite.

But a debate last night revealed the splits among community leaders about Alder Hey's £300m plan to build new premises on Springfield Park, West Derby.

The hospital says it will leave Liverpool for a site in Widnes if it cannot redevelop the park, which is next to its existing facilities.

However, many local residents oppose the plan, saying it will wipe out green space.

Liverpool council voted to start talks with the hospital to keep Alder Hey in the city, and thoroughly investigate the Springfield Park plan.

By Nick Coligan, Liverpool Echo
20 Oct 05

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ALDER Hey Children's Hospital looks certain to stay in Liverpool, the Daily Post can reveal.

The city's entire ruling executive board paid a visit to the world-renowned West Derby hospital on Friday to meet senior hospital managers.

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ALDER Hey Children's Hospital looks certain to stay in Liverpool, the Daily Post can reveal.
At last, common sense prevails!

So it should !! There's no question about it as far as I'm concerned.
There's no other place for Alder Hey but here in Liverpool where it belongs.

What an absolute injustice it would have been for Alder Hey to have had to move out of the city, it's as well known in some quarters as the beatles are in others.

Now, what's happening with the Royal hospital, do they still want the new site for a city gateway, sod us all if we get sick !!!!

CAMERA crews have begun filming Liverpool emergency teams for a prime time fly-on-the-wall documentary.

Casualty doctors at the Royal Liverpool Hospital and ambulance crews will be followed for 14 weeks for the next series of the BBC's Trauma programme.

It will give an insight into the demands put on the services, which are particularly under pressure on Friday and Saturday nights.

Alison Gregory, executive producer of the show, said: "We were very keen to come to Liverpool and spent a year in negotiations with the Royal.

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ALDER HEY hospital is today celebrating the news that it is to stay in Liverpool.


The overwhelming demand from patients, parents and supporters, that the hospital which is such a vital part of Liverpool must not be allowed to leave the city, forced a rethink by council officials.


The ECHO campaign to save the hospital attracted a huge response, with messages of support flooding in from around the world.


Liverpool council is to hand over Springfield Park so a new children's hospital can be built next to the exisiting one.

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:PDT11

WALTON hospital will be closed by the end of the year. The site is already partly developed as a housing estate and the remainder may be sold off to property developers earning millions for the local primary care trust.

Site steeped in history

THE original clocktower buildings of Walton hospital first opened on April 15, 1868, as a work-house.

By 1897, the site also included an infirmary for sick inmates.

In 1905 the infirmary was made available to the general population.

By 1914 the infirmary could boast revolutionary medical services including an X-ray machine. It officially became known as a hospital in 1935.

The Walton Centre for Neurology opened in 1941.

The hospital began to decline in the early 1990s when it was merged with Fazakerley to create Aintree Hospitals Trust.

The Walton casualty department was closed in April 1994 when services were merged with Fazakerley's.

In October the Neurology Centre went to Lower Lane.

My Mum used to say to us she had her own chair in there, that and Alder Hey.... Me and my Bro were always in the wars :D

THE Royal Liverpool Hospital will stay in the city centre after the council caved in over the great by-pass row.

The city has ditched plans to build aroad through the same site wanted by the Royal for its new £480m complex.

Hospital chiefs can now press ahead with their plan to rebuild next to their current premises.

The Royal was set to leave the city centre for one of three alternative sites after long-running discussions with the council hit deadlock.

But council leader Warren Bradley and the hospital's trust board finally reached a compromise yesterday.

The Royal will now submit a plan to the government next March, on the basis that it can rebuild on the contested site.

The council's £10m bypass project - aimed at diverting traffic from congested Hall Lane, Kensington - will be put on hold.

Officials will instead start working on anew proposal to fit around the hospital's plans.

Cllr Bradley said: "For many years, we have been working on a plan to improve access to the city centre and relieve congestion.

"But the hospital is a vital facility and ultimately that has to come before aroad scheme.

"In taking such significant action, we have received assurances from the Royal that they can rebuild on the current site."

Royal chairman Roger James said: "I would like to thank Cllr Bradley for his courage in reaching a difficult decision, which gives precedence to the hospital. In balance, we believe this to be in the best long-term interests of the population of Liverpool.

The council will now ask the government if it can freeze cash allocated to the bypass project so it can be used at alater date.

It hopes to use the money for road improvements around Hall Lane, part of the route from the M62 to the city centre.

Cllr Joe Anderson, leader of the opposition, said: "It is fantastic that the Royal can go forward, but ahuge let-down for residents of Kensington Fields, who put up withterrible traffic congestion.

"If people had taken their heads out of the sand a little earlier, they could have found a compromise that allowed both schemes to happen, and that is very frustrating. I hold this council administration personally responsible for that."

FINAL plans for a new Alder Hey hospital have been lodged with Liverpool council.

The ECHO and the hospital fought a campaign to stop it being moved out of Liverpool.

Now planning officers are considering an application for a new hospital, plus helipad, on Springfield park, West Derby.

The £350m plans, handed to Liverpool council today, involve a new hospital being built in the south east corner of Springfield park, which runs next to Eaton Road and East Prescot Road.

It will include modern wards, single rooms and clinics located closer together.

Modern out-patient facilities and x-ray facilities also form part of the proposals.

Terry Windle, Alder Hey director of strategic planning, said: "It is excellent news today that things are moving along. This is akey part of the development of our business.

"The new build will bring departments closer together which will be beneficial for everyone.

"We also expect the helipad to be of particular benefit to our patients and their families.

"We very often have sick children coming in to us from all over the country and from the Isle of Man, who need treatment quickly. The helipad will be a greathelp in these cases."

The building of the new hospital is expected to start at the end of 2008 and it is due to be completed by 2013.

The existing hospital, which dates back to 1911, will then be knocked down and the land returned to the public.

Mr Windle added: "It is effectively a land swop, ensuring public space is retained.

"A full, formal public consultation will take place in the autumn. We want to ensure we have the views of everyone."

The plans also include a multi-storey car park, gardens and landscaping, including a landscaped pedestrian walkway.

The multi-million pound re-build of Alder Hey is part of a £1bn plan which also includes the £500m reconstruction of the Royal hospital.

A BREAKTHROUGH has been reached in the deadlocked bid to build a city hospital and a bypass.

Plans for a new Royal Liverpool hospital and the long-awaited Hall Lane bypass on the same site were being announced today.

Earlier this year, Liverpool council ditched proposals to build the Hall Lane bypass through the land wanted by the Royal for a £480m modern complex.

Council leader Warren Bradley conceded the hospital had to come first, amid fears it would move outside the city if the £12.5m road was built.

But an investigation has shown thereis space for a road to link Islington and West Derby Street alongside the new Royal.

Work could start next year on the bypass, whichwill taketraffic away from congested Hall Lane in Kensington.

The Royal will then submit detailed proposals fora world-class hospital within the next two or three years.

The news will be a massive relief to Kensington Fields residents, who put up with traffic, noise and pollution from thousands of cars in Hall Lane every day.

Cllr Bradley said: "Wealways wanted a situation where the Royalcould stay in the city centre and the Hall Lane scheme could go ahead.

"Liverpool needs a world-class hospital, but it also needs first-rate gateways into the city centre.

"The Hall Lane scheme removes a notorious bottleneck for motorists and will produce a much better environment for residents."Royal chairman Roger James said: "This is an extremely positive outcome.

"Our aim was always to remain within the city boundaries, but we also recognise the importance of the Hall Lane bypass.

"We have now jointly identified a solution, which will ensure residents benefit from significant environmental improvements and Liverpool benefits from one of the best hospitals in the country."

In June, the ECHO revealed the Royal was on the verge of quitting the city centre, with health officials insisting it was impossible to build ahospital and a road on the same site.

The council then agreed to postpone the bypass plan, which had been on the drawing board for a decade.

Today's compromise means a proper route between the city centreand the M62 will finally be built.At the moment, thousands of vehicles a day are directed into Hall Lane, a narrow residential street.

nick.coligan@liverpool.com

It would have been better if the hospital services were dispersed. Nobody from our end of the city can get to the Royal unless they take two busses, or bus and train, or bus and walk up bladdy big hill. Not convenient for our end. It was better when we had smaller local hospitals (which there is a move back to with primary care units and local GP practices holding specialist clinics). Some of the specialties have been moved out to Broadgreen (also hard to get to from our end).

What is going to happen to Archbishop Blanch school? Anyone know??

What is going to happen to Archbishop Blanch school? Anyone know??

It's still Archbishop Blanch as far as I know.

I know that - but I've just applied for my lass and don't want it moving out of the city if she gets in. It's quite an old building.

I know that - but I've just applied for my lass and don't want it moving out of the city if she gets in. It's quite an old building.

They have been renovating it recently I think, so I doubt it but I shall find out for you.

Ta very much:)

The school is staying 100%!

Ta very much *whisper "it was our favourite"

Children's hospital gets go ahead


Plans to rebuild Alder Hey Children's Hospital have been approved by Liverpool City Council.
The Royal Liverpool Children's NHS Trust wants to rebuild the hospital at a site in nearby Springfield Park.

Plans for the development were being reviewed to ensure they were affordable and adhered to government guidelines.

The £300m hospital - which will include a car park, gardens and a helipad - will be funded by the government Private Finance Initiative (PFI).

In July, the government said all PFIs - built using private cash, but paid for over time by the NHS - were being reviewed.

The plans will go to public consultation next year.

A spokeswoman from Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital NHS Trust said it was "delighted" the plans had been approved.

"The Trust is however, still reviewing its plans in the light of the affordability challenges it faces and we still have many hurdles to overcome in order to get our outline business case approved by the Department of Health next year," she said.

"The Trust aims to go out to public consultation on its proposals next year. "This will enable everyone with an interest in this scheme to put forward their views and become further engaged in our plans."

Too some images whilst in the area today:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/147/391097234_277b171670_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ijob/391097234/)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/134/391097218_9d490bf69c_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ijob/391097218/)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/166/391097184_77778b40f8_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ijob/391097184/)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/127/391097154_e9f7248f9e_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ijob/391097154/)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/151/391097205_733d60af15_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ijob/391097205/)