‘I want clear answers’: Council leader wants to know if QEH could be rebuilt on another site

West Norfolk Council leader Terry Parish says he wants “clear answers” on whether or not the Queen Elizabeth Hospital can be rebuilt on another site.During the leader’s questions section at last night’s full borough council meeting, Cllr Parish was asked by Conservative member Judith Collingham if he would support the QEH plans as they stand.It was confirmed last May that the QEH would be added to the Government’s New Hospital Programme.

Since then, bosses have insisted the rebuild will take place at the current location off Gayton Road.Cllr Parish told Cllr Collingham that when these plans were first confirmed, he was informed this had to be the case due to the “speed” with which the project has to be undertaken. The building has at least 4,394 steel and timber support props in 56 areas holding up its roof – making it the most propped-up hospital in the country – and a deadline of 2030 for a rebuild has often been cited.However, Cllr Parish told the meeting: “What I would like to see is a direct comparison between building the hospital on the current site and building the hospital on a different site.“I just want straight honest answers”.The leader said he would like to hear pros and cons for the rebuild taking place where it is currently planned, as well as a greenfield location elsewhere. He said he has asked members of the QEH trust why another site could not be considered, but has received no answer – and has been frustrated by having to go through legal teams with his queries.“Just to clear my own mind, I would like some clear answers to the issues that are being raised,” Cllr Parish said. “I will fully support the hospital in whatever the best answer is.”He also told councillors that he has “serious doubts” about whether the 2030 deadline will be met due to the pace with which things have progressed in the past ten months.Meanwhile, he also described the costs for a multi-storey car park at the hospital – expected to be more than £42million – as “a huge amount of money for a car park”.