NHS Highland has submitted a formal planning application for a new Lochaber hospital at Blar Mhor, Fort William.
The proposed facility is set to replace the ageing Belford Hospital and deliver a modern, purpose-built rural healthcare hub.
The new hospital is anticipated to be up to three storeys, forming part of a wider redevelopment of health and social care services across Lochaber.
The Lochaber hospital sits within the Highland health infrastructure programme, NHS Highland’s wider capital investment plan for upgrading and replacing hospital and healthcare facilities across the region, delivered through established public sector arrangements.
NHS Highland has appointed Balfour Beatty as principal supply chain partner for its wider Highland hospital redesign programme.
However, this does not constitute appointment as main contractor for the new Lochaber hospital, which will be subject to a separate procurement process following planning and business case approval.
A main contractor is expected to be appointed after completion of these stages.
The design has been developed to improve patient flow, clinical efficiency and accessibility, while supporting flexible, future-proofed service delivery.
The Blar Mhor site has been identified as the preferred location for the replacement hospital and forms a key element of NHS Highland’s long-term infrastructure strategy for the West Highlands.
The planning application will now be assessed by Highland Council, as the local planning authority, under the statutory planning process.
This will include consultation with relevant statutory bodies covering transport, environment, infrastructure and community impact before a decision is made.
Launch of a community-led option appraisal
Alongside the planning submission, NHS Highland is progressing a community-led option appraisal to define the final clinical service model for the hospital.
The process is designed to ensure services are shaped around local needs, integrating hospital, primary care and community services more closely.
The scheme is expected to include a range of acute and community-facing services, such as emergency care, inpatient beds, theatres, diagnostics and outpatient facilities, designed to support more integrated care locally and reduce the need for patients to travel outside the region.
If approved, the new hospital project is expected to move into the next design and delivery stages ahead of a future construction phase later in the decade, representing one of the most significant investments in rural healthcare infrastructure in Scotland in recent years.