PLANS for a new hospital in Green Lane, Devizes, are expected to be published by next April.

Peter Williams, manager of the Devizes Hospital redevelopment project, said this week that the overall timetable had slipped but was keen to stress that the project is being actively worked on.

The original timetable drawn up by the Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust was for an outline business case which states what services are to be provided, the cost of the new hospital and how it will be funded to be agreed in January 2004.

Now, the earliest that the outline business case will be ready by is March 2004. This would push back the opening of a new hospital to early 2006 rather than at the end of 2005 as originally planned.

The timetable for the Malmesbury Hospital redevelopment project has been similarly delayed. The sudden departure of the trust's chief executive Barbara Smith in September has had an effect on slowing the projects down.

Mr Williams said: "The Devizes Hospital redevelopment project is likely to slip until early 2006 but the PCT is committed to seeing this redevelopment come to fruition.

"It's been on the agenda for ten to 15 years and what we are planning to develop on Green Lane will be an exciting opportunity for future health and social care services."

The trust is looking to build a new hospital alongside a care home.

Attracting a care home provider is central to the project as the trust has stated that NHS beds will be provided only if there is a care home alongside.

Other services still in doubt are maternity, X-ray and day surgery unit.

Mr Williams said discussions are ongoing with West Wiltshire Primary Care Trust about whether an X-ray and day surgery unit should be provided at the new Devizes hospital.

Public consultation on closing the town's existing maternity unit is due to begin in January.

Funding for a new hospital will be available from the sale of the existing town centre hospital site and the family health clinic in New Park Street.

The three GP practices in Devizes are in discussions with the trust about whether to relocate to the new hospital site.

Also being looked at is selling off Southgate House, the headquarters of the trust, and using the money from that sale towards providing new offices at the new hospital.

The value of the Southgate House site has not been made public. The value of the current hospital site and the family health clinic is estimated to be between £3 to £3.75million.

The cost of a new hospital at Green Lane was said in April to be in the region of £7million.

If the trust is unable to get NHS funding to cover any shortfall in the cost of the new hospital it would have to enter into a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) involving a developer.

Mr Williams said at this stage PFI could not be ruled out.

Mr Williams said: "At this stage no decisions have been taken about what services the new hospital will provide and about how it will be funded.

"What is currently being worked on is the feasibility and viability of the project.

"There are three or four options on how it will be funded, one of which is PFI."