The trust responsible for Watford General Hospital has disputed claims that building a brand new hospital would cost £200m less than current plans to redevelop the existing site.

At a meeting held in Hemel Hempstead last night, attendees were told that constructing a new facility on a greenfield site near the M25 at Kings Langley was more economically viable in the long-term.

Herts Valley CCG has delayed a decision on West Hertfordshire NHS Hospitals Trust’s plans to either rebuild or develop the Watford facility, giving campaigners hope that an alternative could be funded.

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However Helen Brown, the trust’s deputy chief executive, said the greenfield option would cost “in the region of £125m greater than for a new build on the Watford General Hospital site”.

She added: “A greenfield site comes with no infrastructure and it would take time and additional money to create the access to utilities and road networks that are essential for development to proceed.

“We are confident that the Watford site can provide a good solution, there is significant flexibility offered by working with partners through the Watford Health Campus development.

“We don’t believe a greenfield site offers significantly more efficiencies.”

Ambitious plans to spend £641m redeveloping the Vicarage Road site and St Albans City Hospital were announced in February.

A report released prior to the announcement revealed the dire state of facilities at Watford General, saying their poor condition amount to a “significant risk” to the future of the hospital, and citing a maintenance backlog bill of more than £100m.