THE project to rebuild Bicester’s Community Hospital has taken a step forward.

An advertisement has been placed asking developers interested in building the hospital to come forward.

Over the next few months, NHS Oxfordshire will talk with potential developers over what they could offer the town.

Details will be put to the primary care trust’s board in March.

Three sites are in the running: the hospital’s current site in Kings End, land at the Kingsmere housing development, off Oxford and Middleton Stoney roads, and the former claypits site off London Road, where a care home is being built.

The PCT says finances will dictate how the hospital is replaced and the likely option is NHS beds provided in a care home, with services including therapies, first aid and X-rays on the same site.

But hospital campaigner Les Sibley wants a hospital with overnight inpatient beds.

He said: “We will be doing everything we can as part of the Save Our Community Hospital Campaign to get a proper hospital with bed services.”

NHS Oxfordshire spokesman Cathryn Bullimore said: “This is the first stage process to find out who’s going to be developing the new facility.

“Financing will play a crucial role in the decision.”