Plans for a £5m state-of-the-art new community hospital in Bicester were unveiled last night.

It will be only the second new community hospital in the county in more than 40 years.

NHS Oxfordshire has announced developer Kajima Mansell will build the 12-bed hospital.

The new facility will be built on land behind the current hospital, in Kings End, and once complete the old 12-bed Victorian hospital building will be demolished to make way for 14 two and three bedroom houses.

As part of the deal the developer will buy the former hospital site from the health authority.

Previously NHS Oxfordshire favoured a care home as part of the scheme, which would have included the hospital beds.

But the Kajima Mansell plan has delighted hospital campaigners who wanted to retain a 12-bed hospital in the town, although concerns have been raised about potential planning problems.

Kajima’s senior development manager Richard Coe said: “The new Bicester Community Hospital will provide a much-needed and essential service for the local area.

“We recognise the future growth of Bicester and we have therefore built a design to respond to that.”

The new two-storey hospital will include green features such as rainwater harvesting and solar panels and will use local materials.

The main access will be from Coker Close, with a new footpath from Kings End.

The site will include outdoor gym equipment for residents to use, to encourage healthy lifestyles.

Patients’ rooms will be single sex, in a mixture of single and double rooms, all with access to an enclosed therapy garden.

Chairman of Save Our Community Hospital Les Sibley said: “I’m delighted with the plans. This is a real victory for our campaign.”

The hospital was listed by the council, and any housing development would need change of use permission.

A planning application is due to be submitted to Cherwell District Council in June.

If approved, work will start next January and is expected to open 12 months later.

bicester@oxfordmail.co.uk l The last community hospital to open in Oxfordshire was Chipping Norton, and before that Wallingford in the 1970s. Two have closed, Burford and Watlington.