CLEVEDON’S new hospital has been designed around a fish and chip shop that will stay open until 2013.

CLEVEDON’S new hospital has been designed around a fish and chip shop that will stay open until 2013.

In NHS North Somerset’s latest planning application for the Millcross site it has been revealed the new building will be constructed to accommodate the Crabtree Fish Bar, which has three years left on its lease.

The document says ‘the Crabtree Fish Bar is likely to remain in occupation until 2013. Consequently, the construction phase of the project will need to be phased to permit the fish bar to keep trading and enjoy the rights of its lease. The layout of the new hospital has been designed to take this into account’.

The fish bar is located in what will be the hospital’s car park and this has been designed so access to the shop can be maintained during construction.

Fish bar owner Tomas Medina, who has run his business at Millcross for 27 years, said: “At the moment I am very happy to be here and I am working hard to keep my business open.

“A lot of my customers are very loyal and I want people to realise we are still open.”

A NHS North Somerset spokesman said they would not discuss their contractual relationship with the fish shop but added: “We wish to reiterate we have a good site for the hospital and we are confident we will be able to develop a modern, high quality building to deliver healthcare services to residents in the area.”

The first phase of development will see the former supermarket building demolished and phase two will involve constructing the hospital.

Once the fish bar lease runs out, the building it is in will be demolished allowing final external work to be completed.

Once complete, the hospital’s first floor exterior will be covered in sea green cladding and the ground floor will have a grey/blue brick finish.

There will be a double height entrance and the development will be split into clinical and support wings.

During public consultation, concerns were raised that if hospital parking is charged for, those visiting would park in residential streets. However, NHS North Somerset has confirmed it has no plans to charge for parking.

? NHS North Somerset has this week been keen to confirm that it remains dedicated to the plans for the hospital after the Times raised questions about the availability of funding for the project.

The spokesman said the hospital is an ‘integral part’ of NHS North Somerset’s future plans.