Oxford Warneford Hospital ‘revised’ plan amid redevelopment

The £750 million transformation of Warneford Hospital in Headington was given the green light by city council on April 21, and plans to add an “external security fencing compound” and a “new shower room” have been shared in this week’s planning list with a “revised description”.

A consultation on the proposals is open until Thursday, June 18, more than a month after the original determination deadline for the plan, which was set for May 4 following the application’s initial validation in March this year.

The proposals are for the Vaughn Thomas Ward at the hospital.

The application said: “As part of ongoing improvements to the estate, the Trust is seeking to undertake works at Vaughan Thomas Ward to support operational needs and enhance patient facilities.”

The fencing would create a “patient garden and secure access point” for the ward.

The plan adds: “The works are modest in scale, improve the operational performance of the ward, and enhance the quality of facilities available to patients, aligning with the trust’s ongoing programme of estate improvement.”

The wider redevelopment faced local objection with residents warning additional parking spaces for research facilities could be “catastrophic” for the area.

Residents and councillors opposing the Warneford plans (Image: Ed Nix)

It is still subject to an S106 agreement, which will set out legal conditions on development.

NHS Foundation Trust Senior Responsible Officer for Warneford Park, Heather Smith, said the transformation will deliver “very significant benefits for people living in Oxfordshire and beyond”, while “minimising” local impact.