CONSTRUCTION work is well underway on the new community hospital development in Altrincham which is now beginning to take shape.

The £17 million four-storey development on Railway Street in the town centre will replace the current Altrincham General Hospital, which dates back to the Victorian era.

Building work is on target for completion by the end of the year, with the hospital expected to open in March 2015.

Peter Mount, chairman of Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CMFT), said: “We are delighted that our plans to create a new state-of-the-art community hospital for Altrincham are coming to fruition.

“This development will be a significant boost both to local people and the local economy.

“Not only will it provide modern, high quality facilities for our existing services but also an opportunity to expand the range of clinical care that we provide to Trafford residents.”

Health chiefs say the town centre location will be very convenient for patients who use public transport, while the building will be much more accessible and user-friendly for all visitors, including those with mobility problems.

They add that a wide range of high quality general and specialist outpatient and diagnostic services including the rapid treatment of minor injuries will be provided. Discussions are underway regarding the possibility of providing additional services.

The 75,000 sq ft hospital is being developed by Pochin Property in partnership with Citybranch on behalf of CMFT.