Having spent years putting pressure on the Labour Welsh Government to deliver the North Denbighshire Community Hospital, Clwyd West MS Darren Millar has criticised the delays which he said are totally unacceptable. 

The long-awaited North Denbighshire Community Hospital, to be built on the historic Royal Alexandra Hospital site, was thrown into doubt following July’s Partnerships Scrutiny Committee meeting at Denbighshire Council’s Ruthin HQ.

A planning application for the revised development was expected between March and August this year, but no submission has materialised - despite the project being on hold for more than a decade.

Gareth Evans, Betsi Cadwalder University Health Board's Central Integrated Health Community Director, has now confirmed the health board intends to submit a planning application "within the next month or so.

Commenting, Darren said: 

"The delays in delivering a new hospital in Rhyl are totally unacceptable.

 "People in the locality will not be taken for mugs. We were promised a hospital 12 years ago and it must be delivered. We are fed up of promises repeated in advance of elections which are then cast to one side by Labour Ministers in the Senedd.

"In spite of the efforts of hardworking staff, Glan Clwyd Hospital is under intense pressure with insufficient beds and a very poorly performing emergency department. The new Royal Alex was supposed to offer a solution to these challenges which are causing staff to burn out and patients coming to harm.

"The pressure in Bodelwyddan is worse now than ever so any scaling back from the original project in Rhyl would be a betrayal of local people.

"South Wales has seen a new hospital built, and a second is under construction.

"North Wales needs investment too."