Hospital joint action hailed

The six public bodies involved in securing a £ 2million site from Tesco for a new hospital in Fort William have hailed the project’s progress.

Highland Council bought the Blar Mhor site at Caol on the edge of the town to pave the way for a new NHS Highland hospital to replace the ageing Belford.

The site will also be the home of a new science training centre for West Highland College.

As part of the deal, once funding is in place to build the new hospital, NHS Highland will transfer the existinghospital site to the council to deliver affordable housing in the centre of Fort William.

Tesco abandoned plans for a store on the eight acre site at Blar Mor after a tough year’s trading.

NHS Highland board member Michael Foxley

“This is a great result for close team work”

said: “This is a great result for close team work by the six public bodies and the depute first minister. Tesco will now leave a lasting legacy in Lochaber when the new hospital and the science training centre for West Highland College are built. We now need to start planning for the future services within the hospital.”

Leader of Lochaber Area Committee, Councillor Thomas MacLennan added: “This is a real chance to make a difference and allow not just the town itself, but also the wider communities, prosper.”

Scott Dingwall, Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s head of regional development for Lochaber, Skye and Wester Ross, said: “We will also explore with partners what additional opportunities the sitemay offer in terms of further economic and community growth.”