Belford Hospital plans confirm major development

INITIAL planning documents for the new Belford Hospital have confirmed that more than 200 residential, educational, commercial and community buildings will also be built on the site.

A pre-planning application was lodged by Inverness-based 360 Architecture last week to build the new hospital at the mixed development site at Blar Mhor, just outside Fort William.

The planning documents also confirm that 200 to 250 residential, educational, commercial and community buildings are proposed alongside the new healthcare facilities.

A representative of NHS Highland said: ‘We welcome this progress as it supports our plans for the Lochaber Health and Social Care Redesign.

‘The replacement facilities for the Belford Hospital in Fort William will play a major part in meeting the future health and social care community.’

Plans are also in place to incorporate a new science and technology academy for the West Highland College UHI adjacent to the site, to provide skills that are in demand from local businesses.

Highland Council will now begin a major pre-application consultation process prior to the submission of a planning application for a mixed use development.

The health board announced in September that indicative funding for a replacement for the Belford Hospital was included in NHS Highland’s five-year capital plan.

The new hospital will replace the existing Belford Hospital but will maintain the status of a rural general hospital.

In October 2015, Highland Council bought land in Fort William at Blar Mhor from Tesco for £2 million. needs of the