PLANS for a new ‘super surgery’ in Blaenau Gwent which would serve thousands of patients look set to be given the green light.

A reserved matters application for a multi-million pound health and wellbeing centre at the site of the former Tredegar General Hospital has been backed for approval.

The plans will see the original 1904 twin gabled building, known as the ‘heart’ of the original hospital, kept and refurbished.

But while plans to improve cycling and walking links between the health centre and Bedwellty Park are no longer included, planning chiefs hope improvements can still be secured.

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The original plans, at outline stage, included improving the appearance of the parkland and creating new footpaths to link with the new health centre.

But a break down in negotiations over a land sale saw the proposals changed, with land next to the hospital no longer included.

A report coming before Blaenau Gwent’s planning committee suggests walking and cycling links between the park and health centre could still be secured under a planning condition though.

It says planners feel “an opportunity has been missed to facilitate active travel by encouraging cycling and walking as a method of accessing the new facility.”

“Whilst I acknowledge that the landownership, issues around the legal status of the land and funding timeline constraints are justifiable reasons for not submitting firm and detailed proposals for the parkland area within the application site at this stage, the exclusion of this area of parkland from the proposal in its entirety would result in a development that has failed to maximise its contribution to the achievement of the wellbeing goals and sustainable development,” the report says.

But the applicant, the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, has indicated there is a “reasonable prospect” of improvements being secured at a later date through a condition.

The planning report says landscaping improvements would contribute to “improving Bedwellty House and Park as a tourist attraction.”

A proposed condition of the recommended approval is for a travel plan, which could detail path links, to be submitted to the council for consideration.

Under the plans, the ground floor of the main building will include staff facilities and meeting rooms, a cafe and courtyard area.

The upper ground floor will house treatment rooms, the main entrance, reception and a pharmacy.

Parking spaces to serve the centre have also been increased to 83 – from 70 at outline planning stage – with cycle stands to accommodate 26 bikes also included.

Blaenau Gwent’s planning committee will decide the plans at a meeting on Thursday.