Health bosses have identified their preferred location for a £130 million Aberdeen hospital, after considering the likes of Broadford Works and the former John Lewis.
A national treatment centre for Grampian (NTC-G) is expected to open in May 2027.
It will be one of 11 across Scotland, focusing on day surgeries, specialist clinics and diagnostics including CT scans and X-rays.
NHS Grampian has been allocated £52m from the Scottish Government for the project, plus cash to help with the design and initial planning stages.
The funds will also go towards an MRI suite at Dr Gray’s, Elgin, and a dermatology clinic at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
Where will the Grampian treatment centre be built?
A report going before NHS Grampian’s board today has identified a preferred location for the national treatment centre.
Shepherd Chartered Surveyors was tasked with helping in the search, initially starting with 32 potential options including the former John Lewis department store, the closed beachfront DoubleTree hotel and the city centre Broadford Works.
But this long-list was whittled down to just three: Raeden, Foresterhill and land near Teca.
Board members will be asked today to endorse the Foresterhill location, which is behind the maternity hospital and home to offices, Grampian Hospital Radio and a car park.
New homes will be found for these.
Project leaders say the space offers the best value for money, with a “whole life cost” of £301m over the next 60 years.
How much will the hospital cost?
It’s estimated that the national treatment centre for Grampian will cost up to £130m, but NHS Grampian has only been allocated £52m so far.
The board papers say funding talks with the government are ongoing.
And they warn, without a pledge of more money, there’s a chance the health board will be left to foot the bill – forcing it to make cuts elsewhere.
What happens next?
If the board approves the proposed site, public engagements will be held and the first plans could be drawn up by the end of the year.
Construction would be on course to begin in March 2025, with the National Treatment Centre Grampian opening its doors to patients in May 2027.
A £42m national treatment centre at Inverness Campus, serving the Highlands, is due to open on April 3 2023.
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