AS THE future of the Royal Berkshire Hospital is discussed, an online meeting last week gave people to look back at its past.
The hospital was opened in 1879, and its main building was designed in Greek Classical style, was modelled after the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. It is now a Grade II listed building.
It was designed by Henry Briant, who was later responsible for designing homes in Eldon Square and went on to become a vicar.
Work continued under architect Joseph Morris, who built his home opposite the hospital in Craven Road.
Under his eye, there were extensions to the site in 1883, comprising a chapel, a library and additional wards.
Then, between 1908 and 1909, Charles Smith and his son Charles Steward Smith expanded the hospital further, adding the King Edward VI Memorial Ward, now used as the oncology ward.
More modern additions were built in the 20th and 21st centuries, including the X Ray Department, Maternity Ward and the A&E Department.
Details of the original building’s history were given in a presentation Richard Havelock, from the Royal Berkshire Medical Museum.
Mr Havelock said: “I’m delighted that the hospital hierarchy share my and our museum’s concerns with preserving the old buildings as far as can be done and putting them to use which is most appropriate.”
During the session, Ed McGeehin, a member of the Trust, said that the main building cannot be used for modern healthcare in the future.
The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is currently engaging in Building Berkshire Together, to help devise the long-term future. This could include a full or partial redevelopment on its current site, or relocation to, for example, South Reading or into Wokingham borough’s Thames Valley Science Park.
On site redevelopment was estimated to cost £700-£950 million, whereas relocation would cost £1.2 billion.
Attendees of the meeting debated which of the three options would be better.
Sunila Lobo said: “If you have a Grade II listed building there’ll be so many requirements to meet, it would make it expensive just, for instance, to put solar panels on that wonderful historic front of the hospital.
“I’m sure then you’ll have to ask permission, there’ll be lost more delays.”
Ali Foster, programme director of Building Berkshire Together, acknowledged that there were pros and cons to staying or relocating, as well as people having ‘anxieties’ about running health services in two places simultaneously if relocation is chosen.
For more details, log on to: https://buildingberkshiretogether.co.uk/
