Old Infirmary Site: FAQs

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Below are a list of frequently asked questions regarding the Old Infirmary Site. If you have a question for our team which is not featured below, you can submit one here.

Has demolition activity on the old Royal Infirmary site now finished?


Demolition work on the Royal Infirmary site has now finished. Minor works to clean up the area around the Headquarters Building are now taking place in preparation of vacation of the site for development.


Won’t the NHS need the old Royal Infirmary site in the future?


No. The NHS has not delivered clinical services from the old Infirmary site since 2012 when services were relocated to the Royal Stoke University Hospital. All NHS Trusts now have a duty to sell any land which is surplus to requirements and not being used for the delivery of clinical care. All the money received from the sale of the old Infirmary site will be retained by UHNM to improve hospital facilities.


Is demolition of the site about improving healthcare facilities or regenerating this part of Stoke?


It’s about both. By selling surplus land that is no longer used for the delivery of clinical services we can help regenerate this part of Stoke and support the national commitment to build much needed additional housing. In addition, we can use the money we raise from the land sale to improve NHS facilities for local people.


How many new homes will be built on the old Infirmary site?


The NHS has secured outline planning permission for the development of up to 236 new homes on the old Infirmary site, along with some green space and some community or retail space too. Once the land has been sold to the developers it will be a matter for the local authority to determine how many homes are built on the site.


What will happen to the car park on the old Infirmary and the COPD (Central Outpatients Department) sites?


The Trust has acquired Grindley Hill Court, which sits adjacent to the main hospital site, and has now submitted proposals to develop a staff car park there. The new car park will replace the existing car parking on the old Infirmary and COPD sites. You can learn more about our plans for car parking here.


I trust that the architecturally valuable from the original Infirmary building will be retained?


All buildings on the old Infirmary site have been demolished, except for Windsor House and the old 'Main Entrance' building. Although not listed, the former entrance was deemed to be of historical significance and so its protection means that the building's conversion to apartments is a condition under the Outline Residential Planning Consent. It is also worth adding that, prior to demolition, the Trust completed a record of historical artefacts. Some of these will be donated to the local museum. We have also produced a programme of archaeological recording which has been implemented during the demolition itself.



When the land is sold and the new homes built will the local infrastructure (schools, roads, GP surgeries etc.) be able to cope with the increased number of residents?


This is an important question. The outline planning permission on the old Royal Infirmary site is not just for new homes, it is for community facilities and open space too. It will be a matter for local authority planners to decide precisely what community facilities are needed once the demolition has been completed and the land sold. Of course, the developer will be required to pay for additional community facilities and we are confident the local authority will consider these matters carefully and ensure the development of the old Royal Infirmary site is an improvement on allowing it to become derelict and dangerous.


Have any layout plans for the old Royal Infirmary site following development been created yet?


We are currently preparing the old Infirmary site to sell for redevelopment. The outline planning permission on the site is for new homes and community facilities plus some open space too. The detailed plan for the site will not be produced until the demolition is completed and the land has been sold. It will then be a matter for the developers and local authority planners to determine precisely what community facilities are needed and how many new homes are to be built. So at present, there are no plans for the layout of the site.


What is Project STAR?


Project STAR is the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust's renewal project to improve health services locally and to help redevelop this part of Stoke. Stoke-on-Trent is a major UK growth hub, and Project STAR fits closely with other exciting regeneration projects currently taking place to “power up” the region in the post-COVID-period.

Below are a list of frequently asked questions regarding the Old Infirmary Site. If you have a question for our team which is not featured below, you can submit one here.

Has demolition activity on the old Royal Infirmary site now finished?


Demolition work on the Royal Infirmary site has now finished. Minor works to clean up the area around the Headquarters Building are now taking place in preparation of vacation of the site for development.


Won’t the NHS need the old Royal Infirmary site in the future?


No. The NHS has not delivered clinical services from the old Infirmary site since 2012 when services were relocated to the Royal Stoke University Hospital. All NHS Trusts now have a duty to sell any land which is surplus to requirements and not being used for the delivery of clinical care. All the money received from the sale of the old Infirmary site will be retained by UHNM to improve hospital facilities.


Is demolition of the site about improving healthcare facilities or regenerating this part of Stoke?


It’s about both. By selling surplus land that is no longer used for the delivery of clinical services we can help regenerate this part of Stoke and support the national commitment to build much needed additional housing. In addition, we can use the money we raise from the land sale to improve NHS facilities for local people.


How many new homes will be built on the old Infirmary site?


The NHS has secured outline planning permission for the development of up to 236 new homes on the old Infirmary site, along with some green space and some community or retail space too. Once the land has been sold to the developers it will be a matter for the local authority to determine how many homes are built on the site.


What will happen to the car park on the old Infirmary and the COPD (Central Outpatients Department) sites?


The Trust has acquired Grindley Hill Court, which sits adjacent to the main hospital site, and has now submitted proposals to develop a staff car park there. The new car park will replace the existing car parking on the old Infirmary and COPD sites. You can learn more about our plans for car parking here.


I trust that the architecturally valuable from the original Infirmary building will be retained?


All buildings on the old Infirmary site have been demolished, except for Windsor House and the old 'Main Entrance' building. Although not listed, the former entrance was deemed to be of historical significance and so its protection means that the building's conversion to apartments is a condition under the Outline Residential Planning Consent. It is also worth adding that, prior to demolition, the Trust completed a record of historical artefacts. Some of these will be donated to the local museum. We have also produced a programme of archaeological recording which has been implemented during the demolition itself.



When the land is sold and the new homes built will the local infrastructure (schools, roads, GP surgeries etc.) be able to cope with the increased number of residents?


This is an important question. The outline planning permission on the old Royal Infirmary site is not just for new homes, it is for community facilities and open space too. It will be a matter for local authority planners to decide precisely what community facilities are needed once the demolition has been completed and the land sold. Of course, the developer will be required to pay for additional community facilities and we are confident the local authority will consider these matters carefully and ensure the development of the old Royal Infirmary site is an improvement on allowing it to become derelict and dangerous.


Have any layout plans for the old Royal Infirmary site following development been created yet?


We are currently preparing the old Infirmary site to sell for redevelopment. The outline planning permission on the site is for new homes and community facilities plus some open space too. The detailed plan for the site will not be produced until the demolition is completed and the land has been sold. It will then be a matter for the developers and local authority planners to determine precisely what community facilities are needed and how many new homes are to be built. So at present, there are no plans for the layout of the site.


What is Project STAR?


Project STAR is the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust's renewal project to improve health services locally and to help redevelop this part of Stoke. Stoke-on-Trent is a major UK growth hub, and Project STAR fits closely with other exciting regeneration projects currently taking place to “power up” the region in the post-COVID-period.