Changes agreed to new A&E hospital build

Changes have been agreed to a £100m project to upgrade a hospital's emergency department and critical care unit.

Work on the scheme at Dorset County Hospital started last year with the building expected to open in 2027.

A topping out ceremony was held in July after the installation of the rooftop helipad, marking the structure reaching its highest point.

Dorset Council has now approved revisions to the original masterplans, mainly affecting the link corridor joining the new building to the existing emergency department, rooftop ducting, and landscaping beside the patient car park.

Sections of the building will now also be slightly lower than originally intended, although the new building still dwarfs the Dorchester skyline.

The corridor connection will move 2.9m (9.5ft) west so that it aligns with the existing emergency department's gable wall.

This will shorten the corridor and create a larger landscaped area between it and the existing department.

The rooftop ducting stack will be moved south, away from the existing building, and lowered, while galvanised perforated cladding will conceal the ducts and give the appearance of a functional chimney stack.

Planning officers concluded that the corridor and ducting revisions would not harm the layout, appearance or character of the approved scheme overall, and considered the additional landscaping acceptable for operational and highway safety reasons.

The wider development includes the new emergency and critical care departments, ambulance arrival and assessment facilities, dedicated mental health and paediatric areas, a connecting corridor, and a rooftop helipad.

The scheme is being funded through the government's new hospital programme, while the £2m rooftop helipad is being funded separately by the HELP Appeal charity.

Dorset County Hospital Charity is also seeking £2.5m to pay for enhanced facilities for patients and families.

The hospital says its existing emergency department is treating about twice as many patients as it was designed for.

The new purpose-built facility will bring emergency and critical care services together, while space released in the existing hospital can later be used for same-day emergency care.