Planning application approved for new Crewe Hospital

Mid-Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been given the green light to build a state-of-the-art hospital in Crewe.

On Tuesday 9th June 2026, Cheshire East Council approved the Trust’s hybrid planning application for the six-storey hospital to be built on land to the north of the existing site. 

The approved planning application also included an ambulatory cancer care centre, and a 1,000-space multi-storey car park.  

Among the key features of the new hospital will be single ensuite rooms for all inpatients. Evidence shows single rooms help hospitals manage infection control better, reduce recovery times for patients and provide far greater privacy and dignity for patients and their loved ones. 

The new hospital will also be one of the most digitally enabled in the country with advanced technology supporting improved patient safety. Meanwhile, smart technologies will help control things like heating, lighting, and air conditioning. These smart systems can also help people find appointments, and manage waiting areas, and improve access to car parking spaces. 

The main hospital construction work is scheduled to begin in summer 2028, with the new hospital opening during the 2032/33 financial year.  

Russ Favager, the Trust’s Board Senior Responsible Officer for Leighton New Hospital Programme, said:

“We have a bold, long-term ambition to develop a health and care neighbourhood in Crewe, with this new hospital at its heart. The approval of our planning application is a major milestone in this journey. 

“While the new hospital is much needed, our plans go beyond a physical building, this development supports our long-term strategy to transform how care is delivered by reducing unnecessary time in hospital and strengthening prevention and neighbourhood-based care closer to home, in partnership with community and primary care services. 

“There’s still a lot of work to do before the new hospital opens, so we will continue to keep our local communities and partners fully informed and engaged every step of the way.” 

The current Leighton Hospital was built in the 1970s using a material called reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). This material does not last forever, and the existing building has now reached the end of its structural life.

For this reason, the hospital is part of the Government’s New Hospital Programme scheme and included in the first group of hospitals to be rebuilt, known as Wave 1.  

Paul Mustow and Charlotte Taylor, the Joint Senior Responsible Officers for the New Hospital Programme, said:

“We’re delighted that Cheshire East Council has approved the planning application for the new Leighton Hospital. This is a major milestone for both this scheme and the wider New Hospital Programme that underlines the commitment to eliminate RAAC from the NHS Estate. We want to thank all the staff involved at the Trust for their hard work in getting to this stage and look forward to continuing to support delivery of their new state-of-the-art hospital.”

Plans were approved unanimously, subject to conditions, by the council’s Strategic Planning Board.