New diagnostic building at West Middlesex Hospital approved

Image above: developer’s visualisation of the new centre in Isleworth; image by Aecom

New building will ‘help urgent care patients receive the care they need in a timely manner’

Plans to build a brand new diagnostic centre at West Middlesex Hospital, which will help tackle increasing patient demand and expand A&E services, have been approved by Hounslow Council’s planning committee on THursday 12 January, after planning officers recommended it should go ahead.

Chelsea and Westminster NHS Trust wants to build a brand-new Ambulatory Diagnostic Centre at the site, which will, be mainly for outpatients, to cut pressure elsewhere at the busy hospital in Isleworth.

The hospital has over 400 beds and provides emergency care and other services. The NHS Trust says a new building is needed to modernise and expand the hospital. It will stand on the site which currently has a small MRI and renal unit, as well as drop-off spaces.

The new diagnostic centre will have four X-Ray machines, seven ultrasound scanners, three MRI and two CT scanners. There will also be 24 dialysis spaces, of which, 2 are isolation rooms with lobbies, plus there will be 18 Chemotherapy spaces, according to planning documents.

Chelsea and Westminster NHS Trust hopes expanding and getting new equipment will help it run smoothly as the local population grows. The NHS Trust says that the new building will ‘improve the environment and overall experience for patients’.

The new diagnostic centre, which will employ 150 full-time staff, will allow the hospital to ‘modernise’ and expand key services like A&E. Planning documents add: “By diverting patients away from hospital, the centre will help urgent care patients receive the care they need in a timely manner.”

Image above: map showing position of the building

Objections over impact on local landscapes

Seven residents opposed the plans, saying they feared the five-storey building would “harm the character” of the nearby area including Syon Park and Isleworth Cemetery.

Leaseholders and residents of Hepple Close said:

“The proposal, due to its height and proximity, would harm the amenities of neighbouring residential properties, including outlook, daylight, sunlight, privacy and light pollution.”

Historic England said they had “serious concerns” about the impact of the new building on local landscapes, especially Syon Park, and has asked that the design be developed. They said:

“The Grade I registered Syon Park is of exceptional significance, particularly because of the surviving eighteenth-century landscape, which can be well appreciated. The proposal would harm the ability to appreciate the significance of the park by appearing prominently in the backdrop of an important vista.”

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