North Lanarkshire Council has approved the planning of the Monklands Replacement Project.
Specifically, the council has approved the proposal for the new hospital to have three surface parking areas and a three-level multi-storey, providing around 2,100 parking spaces in total, double the capacity at the existing University Hospital Monklands.
University Hospital Monklands was one of the major projects put on hold due to the Scottish Government’s two-year freeze on NHS builds. However this build is aiming for completion in 2031.
The Monklands Replacement Project (MRP) is run by NHS Lanarkshire, which is aiming for this new hospital to be the first hospital in Scotland to be fully digital and net zero carbon, making sustainability central to the design of the new hospital.
Further, the planning application set out ways to protect and enhance the natural environment of the woodland area.
North Lanarkshire Council has approved the planning of the Monklands Replacement Project
The new hospital will also have improved transport connections.
NHS Lanarkshire is now developing a full business case (FBC) and the project’s budget will be part of this process.
However, the project’s timeline remains unchanged, as NHS Lanarkshire is working towards completing the FBC next year (2025) and opening the new hospital in 2031.
Professor Jann Gardner, NHS Lanarkshire Chief Executive, said: “We’re delighted that North Lanarkshire Council has given planning consent. We would also like to thank the council for their expertise and continued support for this ambitious project for North Lanarkshire.
“The new hospital will be one of Scotland’s major capital projects, bringing with it enormous opportunities for the whole of Lanarkshire and beyond,” Gardner continued.
NHS Lanarkshire is working towards completing the FBC next year (2025) and opening the new hospital in 2031.
“I’d like to pay tribute to the MRP team and their expert advisors for their considerable work preparing this successful application,” Gardner concluded.
Des Murray, Chief Executive of North Lanarkshire Council, said: “This is the most significant step forward for the Monklands Replacement Project, as it moves from planning and concept stage to starting the delivery of what will be one of the most state-of-the-art hospitals in Scotland.”
“We have been working in partnership with NHS Lanarkshire to support the delivery of the new hospital, particularly in relation to the council’s commitment to deliver the proposed East Airdrie Link Road,” Murray concluded.
The council has approved the proposal for the new hospital to have three surface parking areas
The project also brings employment opportunities, through construction and operation, and broader community benefits including skills training, apprenticeships, and support for businesses of all sizes.
