The latest phase of the £14.1m redevelopment of Victoria Infirmary has been given the go ahead.

Cheshire West and Chester Council’s planning department has approved a state-of-the-art new day surgery at the site on Winnington Street, which will include a range of specialist clinical areas, two operating theatres, recovery area and consulting rooms.

The plans are part of a wider redevelopment which local health chiefs said will guarantee the future of Victoria Infirmary Northwich (VIN).

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has received £14.1m funding to create the new surgical day centre - which will be known as The Cheshire and Merseyside Surgical Centre at Victoria Infirmary - the third such centre in the region.

The new extension is part of a wider scheme which also includes the redevelopment of the historic Verdin Ward. Approval was granted last year for demolition of the the infirmary's Binney Ward, and partial demolition of its Verdin Ward, with a separate application being put forward for the latter's refurbishment.

A design and access statement submitted in support said it would offer 'state-of-the-art' health facilities.

It said: "The design has been thoroughly reviewed and considered by the practitioners at Northwich and Leighton Hospitals to allow the design to function as well as possible .

"The site wide approach addresses multiple concerns within the ownership, and offer a holistic approach to the area around Verdin Ward and Verdin House.

"The design has been considered to respect the heritage assets as much as possible, offering reductions in height adjacent to the building, The aesthetic is influenced by the adjacent buildings but is designed to be viewed as a wholly new phase of building on the site .

"The refurbishment of Verdin Ward re-establishes the building as a valuable heritage asset through making good the external skin as well as putting the internals to use.”

Founded in 1887, the future of the infirmary had come under scrutiny after plans were announced to move health services to Weaver Square,  but those plans were later scrapped. The original Victoria Infirmary building was granted Grade II status in 1981.

Once complete, the new hub is set to become operational by spring/summer of next year.