James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s development of its vision for a ‘Future Paget’ have taken a significant step forward, with the Trust set to submit outline planning application for its new hospital in November.
Following extensive engagement with patients, staff, communities and residents living local to the hospital in the period following launching its vision for a new hospital in March this year, the James Paget is seeking full planning permission for construction of enabling works for the new James Paget Hospital, and outline planning permission for the demolition of existing hospital buildings and development of the proposed new hospital.
The vision for ‘Future Paget’ is a modern environment covering c.99,000m2, featuring around 600 inpatient beds, to be constructed on hospital-owned land to the west of the existing main hospital estate. To achieve an efficient hospital with optimal clinical agencies and to best use the space on the site, the current design envisages a hospital ranging between three and eight storeys in height. The higher storeys will be stepped back into the centre of the site in order to minimise visual impact on surrounding neighbourhoods.
James Paget Hospital will submit an outline planning application, which allows for up to two additional storeys in some places to create flexibility to meet the New Hospital Programme construction requirements from central government. If this is approved, then James Paget will produce a reserved matters application which focuses on finalising the details of the plan. Once this is submitted and approved, construction on the new hospital can begin.
The hospital’s application will be made available via Great Yarmouth Borough Council’s planning portal in due course, and will feature a Statement of Community Involvement, documenting the full extent of feedback received through the engagement with communities over the spring and summer of 2025.
The Trust has also had the Strategic Outline Case for its hospital conditionally approved by the national New Hospital Programme Investment Committee, and reviewed by the National Capital Advisory Team.
The Strategic Outline Case establishes the clinical, strategic, economic and financial rationale behind the James Paget’s new hospital, and will receive final approval by the Department of Health and Social Care’s Joint Investment Strategic Committee in early 2026.
Alongside the strategic and planning elements of the James Paget’s new hospital, the Trust is working closely with The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn on a single, unified programme that will ensure consistency in clinical design and service planning across the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group.
The Group is currently developing an evidence-led Clinical Strategy to reshape acute NHS services in Norfolk and Waveney, to enable it to deliver the Government’s 10-year plan, integrate services with community and primary care, and support the development of neighbourhood integrated health services.
The Clinical Strategy and joint programme with The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn will support the planning and development of both hospital’s Outline Business Cases, and ensure the progress of designs at each hospital meet the latest national guidance and local clinical priorities, and the needs of the local population.