The NHS trust responsible for Watford General Hospital has reaffirmed its commitment to providing new facilities at the current site rather than building a new hospital on greenfield land.

In a message to staff, West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust highlighted what it believes are the benefits of the Watford site in terms of both time and cost, stating that new facilities could be built in Watford before there was even “a spade in the ground” at an alternative site.

It also hinted that work at Watford could start in 2020.

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Mayor Dorothy Thornhill welcomed the statement, saying it was good news that the trust was aiming for “a radical redevelopment and not a minor refurbishment”.

“I have always believed that high quality new hospital facilities at the Watford General site was the best option,” she said.

“That has been one of the key aims of the health campus project and why we have built the new road to improve access to the hospital.

“'I will continue working with the trust to enable them to make their plans a reality for the benefit of local NHS patients.

“Just last week I attended the opening of the new West Herts Cardiac Unit which can see up to 600 patients a week. This new facility is already making a huge difference to patients in Watford and west Herts, and I am looking forward to seeing the trust’s redevelopment and expansion plans come together – a redeveloped Watford General will be a huge step forward for our town.”

The board at West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust recently put forward two options to bring health services in the area up to scratch: either a new facility on the Watford General Hospital site and a redevelopment of St Albans City Hospital or a complete redevelopment of both hospitals.

Opponents of the trust’s plans set up an online petition calling for a new facility to be built – with a site near the M25 at Kings Langley suggested as one potential option – and it attracted more than 10,000 signatures.

However the trust ruled out building a new hospital on the grounds of affordability and timescale, arguing that the required investment would be much more than the £641m it estimates the redevelopment of the two hospitals would cost.