An MP warns that Basildon Hospital can’t manage the influx from 27,000 new homes planned in Essex, raising concerns about local healthcare capacity.
Basildon: A local MP is sounding the alarm about Basildon Hospital. He says it’s “bursting at the seams” and can’t handle the plan for 27,000 new homes. Mark Francois, the Tory MP for Rayleigh and Wickford, is not happy with the Labour-led council’s housing plan. He called it “unsound” during a recent discussion in Parliament.
Francois pointed out that the hospital is already facing “winter pressures and flu.” He mentioned that bed capacity has gone over 100 percent. The council is looking at a local plan that could add thousands of homes over the next 20 years. This includes over 4,000 homes in Basildon, Billericay, and Wickford, plus nearly 17,000 on green belt land.
He explained that the Mid and South Essex Hospitals Trust reported the hospital was running at nearly full capacity. With the new homes, that could mean almost 65,000 new patients for a hospital that’s already struggling.
Francois said, “The new local plan is unsound. Basildon Hospital just can’t cope.” He also noted that there’s no mention of expanding the hospital in the plan. The infrastructure delivery plan is outdated and doesn’t address Basildon’s needs.
He even wrote an eight-page letter to the council’s interim chief executive, outlining his concerns about the lack of infrastructure support.
A spokesman for Basildon Council responded, saying they appreciate the feedback from the community. They received over 9,000 comments during the consultation and will review all responses before moving forward.
