Plans for a new cancer care centre and wildflower garden at Cheltenham General Hospital have been approved this August 2026.
Cheltenham Borough Council greenlit plans for the new state-of-the-art facility, and now the community is being asked to help fund the final £2.2 million needed to make the plans a reality.
More than £9.8 million of the £12 million estimated cost has already been raised through donations to the Cheltenham and Gloucester Hospitals Charity's Big Space Cancer Appeal, which includes £370,000 raised through the Lions at Large sculpture trail, as well as pledges from 180 people who have signed up to take part in Run Cheltenham 2026 on behalf of the appeal, and hikers taking part in the charity's first ever international challenge to Mount Kilimanjaro in 2027.
Plans for the new centre include creating modern clinical and treatment spaces, a dedicated support centre for patients and their families, and a therapeutic garden, as well as providing access to digital consultations, in the first phase, followed by upgrades to the existing oncology centre and its facilities in the second phase.
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust chief executive, Kevin McNamara, said: 'We are delighted to reach this significant milestone of planning approval. This brings us one step closer to delivering a new state‑of‑the‑art centre to improve cancer services for our patients.
'Our vision as a trust is to deliver the best possible care and experience for the people of Gloucestershire and the wider regions. Ahead of submission, over 1,000 patients, carers and members of the public were consulted to ensure the plans reflected what matters most to our community.
'The new facility will also enhance the work of our dedicated clinical teams, who have been instrumental in designing a space that meets the needs of the patients they care for. We are incredibly grateful to the community for their ongoing support and to every person who has contributed to The Big Space Cancer Appeal.'
Richard Smith, associate director at Cheltenham and Gloucester Hospitals Charity, added: 'For every person whose life has been touched by cancer, we are delighted that planning has been approved. One in two people will be affected by cancer in their lifetime and 5,000 people from the local area begin treatment every year in our current facilities.
'Thanks to our amazing community, we are closer than ever to transforming cancer care for our patients and their families, as well as our incredible NHS teams.'
Anyone wishing to support new cancer care centre can donate via the Cheltenham and Gloucester Hospitals Charity website.
