A hospital campaign group believe a hospital trust could raise as much as £1billion for a new hospital.

Herts Valleys Hospitals is one of a number of campaign groups fighting for a new hospital to be built on a new site that is accessible to Watford, St Albans, and Hemel Hempstead.

The group has identified a piece of land near Chiswell Green which it believes is the "best available hospital outcome for all of the west Hertfordshire population".

Last year, West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust received £400 million in funding from the government, months after deciding refurbishing an ageing Watford General Hospital would be the best way forward.

Just last week, the hospital trust received news that it could be entitled to another £190 million - the prospect of £590 million was welcomed by Hemel Hempstead MP Sir Mike Penning, who has been one of the lead campaigners for a new hospital site.

But trust deputy chief executive Helen Brown revealed £590 million would allow the trust to replace hospital buildings in Watford, suggesting keeping the main hospital in the town is still the preferred way forward.

Watford Observer:

This CGI image has been released by the trust of what a refurbished hospital at Watford General Hospital could look like

The trust estimated last year that a new hospital on a new site could cost as much as £800 million.

If £590 million is not enough for a new hospital, Herts Valleys Hospital believes there are other ways of raising more cash.

Steve Day, from the campaign group, said: "The people of Watford, Hemel Hempstead and St Albans now have a fully credible, one-time opportunity to build a shared new Hospital without the upheaval of jumping from foot-to-foot to construct piecemeal on the Vicarage Road site.

"We say it is possibly true that a simple application of the additional funds would enable Watford to be completely rebuilt on the same site but this would be a failure of imagination and vision.

"Happily there is fresh thinking breaking out. We say this new funding could be combined with other identified sources of funding – up to a further £398m - and a deliverable site."

The campaign group has been working with the landowner of a site that is on a shortlist being considered by the hospital trust.

The land in question is privately owned, at junction 21A for the M25 between Chiswell Green and Bricket Wood.

Where do Herts Valleys Hospital say the extra £398 million could come from?

Taking the £400 million that has been outlined, a potential £190 million more, and £398 million, that would give a total of budget of almost £1 billion.

Here's a breakdown we've been given by Herts Valleys Hospitals for that £398 million.

  • Land value receipts (£62m-£95m) - this would be bits of existing land at Watford General, St Albans City, and Hemel Hempstead Hospitals that the hospital trust could sell off for redevelopment.
  • Homes England (£9.5m-£13m) - immediate funding from goverment organisation Homes England to buy up hospital land that could be turned into housing.
  • Section 106 agreements (£30m-65m) - payments a developed would be liable to pay if it was to to build on existing hospital sites.
  • Major corporate and personal donations (£75m)
  • Fundraising (£25m) - employing someone professionally to lead a fundraising campaign
  • Public private partnerships (£60m) – the idea of having privately owned facilities at a new hospital which would provide income for the trust.
  • Upgraded hospital and social care (£70m) - bringing specialist services to the hospital for example children's services, a cancer centre or a helipad.