HAMPSHIRE heath chiefs have approved a decision to shelve plans that would have seen a new £150million critical treatment hospital built on land north of Winchester.

Members of the North and Mid Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) agreed recommendations at a meeting of their boards that said the plans for the facility off junction 7 of the M3 were "unaffordable".

As previously reported, the hospital proposal was a joint venture by North Hampshire and West Hampshire CCGs that would have centralised Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT) A&E and critical care services between Winchester, Andover and Basingstoke.

As well as confirming that the plans will be shelved, board voted to continue developing proposals for the centralisation of HHFT health care services at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital (RHCH) in Winchester, the Andover War Memorial Hospital and North Hampshire Hospital in Basingstoke, including "exploring any necessary capital development to support relocation of services".

Alex Whitfield, HHFT chief executive, said: "We are naturally disappointed that the recommendation to the commissioners' meeting is not to consult with the public on a critical treatment hospital at this time."

Work will be carried out by HHFT to review the care services at its three hospitals with the aim of developing new proposals by the end of February to reconfigure services.