Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust has appointed the contruction firm to build a new community hospital in Cinderford.

Speller Metcalfe has said that initial work on the design and position of the building is underway, but the full specifications will only be finalised after the completion of the public consultation into services to be provided from the new facility.

The new multi-million pound hospital, which has been procured under the Gloucestershire County Councils Major Construction Works framework, will be built on the Lower High Street Playing Field in Steam Mills Road.

It will replace the existing community hospitals in Cinderford and Lydney and building work planned to start in autumn next year.

Angela Potter, director of Strategy and Partnerships at Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust said: "We are delighted to be working with Speller Metcalfe on this exciting project which will significantly improve the hospital environment for the Forest of Dean Population.

"Spellers demonstrated considerable experience of working on health and public sector projects and offering innovative and sustainable solutions so I am confident that together we can deliver a new hospital that will really improve the overall experience for patients and the staff who work there.

"We look forward to the feedback from the public consultation so that we can work up a final design and begin the planning and building process."

Now in their 25th year, Speller Metcalfe remains a family-led business with a turnover of more than £120 million.

The Worecester-based business is well-known in the area, having built Cinderford Health Centre and Station Medical Centre in Hereford, as well as working on the extension and refurbishment of Hadwen Medical Centre in Gloucester. The company is currently helping redevelop Leckhampton C of E Primary School among other projects.

Andy Metcalfe, joint managing director at Speller Metcalfe said: "We know that supporting the health sector is absolutely vital in the current climate, and as a local contractor we recognise how significant this hospital development will be for the wider community.

"With a strong history of successful project delivery for the NHS, we look forward to working with Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust to develop the latest addition to the Forest of Dean's health provision."

As part of the hospital development the NHS will also be working with Cinderford Town Council to provide a new skate park and upgraded multi-use games area in other parts of the town.

A public consultation into services at the new hospital was launched on October 22 October and will run until December 17.