Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust this week revealed proposals for a £20million landmark six-storey building to replace the ageing tower block on the site.

The new facility will eventually house the hospital’s Endoscopy Department and other core services, creating what the Trust calls a “state-of-the-art environment” for patients and staff.

Construction is due to begin in early next year, with the first departments moving in by spring 2027.

But reaction online has been dominated by frustration that the plans do not include a return of Wycombe’s A&E or maternity unit – both long-running points of contention since services were moved to Stoke Mandeville.

Hundreds of people have commented on the news, with many calling for an accident and emergency department to be added.

Wycombe Hospital used to have an A&E, but it was shut down in 2005. The Bucks Free Press launched a campaign to save the department, but despite public opposition, the A&E was not restored.

“We need an A&E – it’s shocking a town this big doesn’t have one,” wrote Frances Carvell, recalling how her late mother had to travel to Stoke for emergency care. Others echoed the same sentiment, describing the journey to Aylesbury as “too far” and “a nightmare” for families in distress.

Another commenter said: “There is no excuse for a town the size of Wycombe not to have an A&E and proper maternity unit. Stoke Mandeville is a long drive along unsuitable roads — it felt like a war zone last time I was there.”

While concerns over car parking, funding and location were also raised, some residents praised the Trust’s ambition to modernise the crumbling site. Facebook user Alice Hulett said: “The current tower is so desolate – the day it disappears from High Wycombe will be a good one!”

Others urged people to see the positives, with Stephen Greiff calling the scheme “good news for our town”, noting that it would help protect services and provide “best-in-class facilities”.

The Trust says the development is “one of the most ambitious hospital improvements outside of the government’s New Hospitals Programme” and will pave the way for future upgrades in cardiology, stroke care, theatres and critical care.

A public drop-in session will be held on Monday, October 14, from 6–8pm in the Marlow Room at Wycombe Hospital Education Centre, where residents can view the plans and ask questions.