Severall

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 22nd Jul 2008

The sale of Severalls Hospital in North Colchester will not happen for at least another two years - with "late 2010 at the earliest" now the most optimistic date.

The dismal news was revealed today by the Town's MP Bob Russell who had contacted English Partnerships, who are responsible on behalf of the Government for selling the site and grounds of the former hospital as well as land at Cuckoo Farm owned by Colchester Borough Council, to find out what was going on after he noticed that "for sale" boards had been taken down.

Mr Russell said today: "As previously reported, it was known that developers Taylor Wimpey - who had been selected as the preferred bidder - had withdrawn their original bid, but the letter I have received from the Chief Executive of English Partnerships, Mr John Walker, throws some interesting light on what has been going on behind the scenes.

"I am told that last December, after months of legal negotiations, Taylor Wimpey submitted a new bid which English Partnerships - and I believe Colchester Borough Council, although this is not stated specifically - considered unacceptable.

"I am further advised that the two other developers who had previously put in bids were invited to re-tender by the end of February 2008, but only one of them did so and that bid was also considered to be unacceptable."

Mr Russell said that English Partnerships - with the support of Colchester Borough Council, although to the best of his knowledge without Councillors collectively knowing, let alone the people of Colchester - had concluded that in terms of timing the earliest when the land would be sold in "whole or part" was late 2010 at the earliest.

But this, however, is dependant on the submission of reserved planning matters prior to March 2010 because of the conditions laid down in the existing outline planning consent.

Mr Walker has also told Mr Russell: "Whatever the disposal route for the site, it will require formal approval from our respective Boards which we aim to have by the end of September 2008."

Last week, in the House of Commons, Mr Russell urged the Government to assist with the construction of a junction from the A12 Northern By-Pass into the Severalls and Cuckoo Farm area in advance of land sales as he felt this was the best way to take matters forward rather than await funds from the sale of the land to finance the junction.

He is now in the process of arranging a meeting with Transport Minister Mr Tom Harris MP in order to take this suggestion forward.

This is the second time that Mr Russell has pursued at Parliamentary level the need for a junction from the A12. Four years ago he had a meeting with a former Transport Minister, attended by officials from the Highways Agency and other interested parties including the Borough Council, and as a result agreement was given in principle that there should be a junction - a decision which enabled the Colchester Community Stadium to be built. Without this, planning permission could not have been granted.

Mr Russell said: "I get no pleasure in saying 'I told you so', but I have been warning for several years that the delay upon delay in disposing of Severalls Hospital could be seriously compromised if there was to be a collapse in the house-building market - and this has now happened.

"Had the Government and the quango agencies listened to me then it would have been in the public interest, with proceeds from Severalls being invested in the National Health Service and to the benefit of Colchester's Council Taxpayers from land it owns at Cuckoo Farm, had the sales taken place a few years ago. Instead, things were allowed to drag on and on. It has been a scandal."

Mr Russell pointed out that in the meantime many of the buildings at Severalls had been vandalised and the Concert Hall and other buildings lost because of arson.

He added: "Perhaps instead of trying to sell the whole lot to one developer an alternative should have been, and perhaps this ought to be investigated even now, is the sale in smaller parcels of land - and the existing buildings at Severalls which many of us hope can still be saved and converted."