A community hospital which was controversially closed could be razed to the ground.
The former Bramcote Hospital on the outskirts of Nuneaton is now on the market.
Although no firm price tag has been placed on the former 20 bed unit, any developers stumping up enough money will be able to do what they like, including opting for demolition to make way for new homes.
However health chiefs stress that proceeds raised from its sale will be ploughed back into healthcare services locally.
In a statement to the Nuneaton News, Rachel Pearce, director of delivery systems at the Arden Cluster, the primary care trust which covers the Coventry and Warwickshire region, said that everything was still in the early stages.
Ashby House, which is also on the site and which caters to adults with learning disabilities, will remain open as normal.
“Following the closure of Bramcote Hospital in 2011, the Arden Cluster has commenced the process of selling the site," she explained.
“This process is in very early stages and we are discussing with the local planning office what types of development may be acceptable on the site. We are also looking for expressions of interest from developers for the site.
“Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust’s facility Ashby House, which provides residential short break services for adults with learning disabilities and is on the Bramcote site, will remain there with a right of access to the site.
“Proceeds from the sale of the Bramcote site will be reinvested into healthcare services.”
Bramcote Hospital is being sold through D&P Holt Property Consultants. The size of the site is 3.49 acres and in an advert on the firm’s website Bramcote is described as a ‘Freehold site suitable for residential development, subject to planning’.
It also lists it as an ‘extremely attractive in rural location with all mains services available’.
Bramcote Hospital closed in March of last year despite a emotionally charged campaign by scores of people, including Nuneaton MP Marcus Jones, former patients, their loved ones and staff to keep it open.
A petition against the closure plans contained 3,089 names but this fell short of the amount needed to be deemed ‘considerable opposition’.
The death knell sounded for the unit in January 2011 after the decision was made to move healthcare towards a new ‘virtual ward’ system.
See also: Bramcote Hospital in Nuneaton is to close
