SALISBURY residents are being invited to have their say on a 'potentially ground-breaking' new project launched to redevelop the Salisbury District Hospital site.

The Health, Education and Technology (HEAT) Project say many of the hospital's original buildings are reaching the end of their useful life and need significant repairs.

Initial plans will look to "provide the best possible health care services, working alongside education and research, as well as environmentally sustainable developments, with as much accessible and usable green space as possible."

Cara Charles-Barks, the chief executive at Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, said: "This is a potentially ground breaking project for healthcare, education and our community, here in Salisbury.

"We hope that people are able to attend our events to find out more and share their thoughts, before we start the work to create a formal plan."

A public exhibition is being held on tomorrow (Saturday, March 16) at the Red Lion Hotel in Salisbury, from 10am to 2pm, to give residents the opportunity to make suggestions before a planning application is submitted.

Funding is still being considered for the project, and HEAT say "it can't be determined until the proposals are more advanced."

Timescales for the project are also not yet fixed, but it is expected a planning application will be submitted by early 2020.

A statement from HEAT said: "We want to position Salisbury District Hospital at the forefront of healthcare, integrating other services and working with others to create a modern, sustainable centre, which can serve the community’s changing needs.

"This project is about creating educational, economic, social, infrastructure and environmental benefits as well as health.

"Salisbury is deeply in need of economic regeneration and this scheme could be a vital catalyst to its recovery and its success."

HEAT also hope the developments will "attract and retain talented people" to work at the site.

Nick Marsden, the chairman at Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Salisbury District Hospital is facing a challenging future. We have to plan to ensure we can manage with increased pressures on resources, be more efficient and improve our services.

"The estate currently has a repair bill running into tens of millions of pounds, which is essential to bring it up to modern standards."

Further public exhibitions will be held in early 2020 as the project develops.

For more information on the project, go to heatprojectsalisbury.co.uk