{"id":715664,"date":"2026-07-28T16:13:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T16:13:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/715664\/"},"modified":"2026-07-28T16:13:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T16:13:14","slug":"frimley-park-hospitals-proposed-new-location-condemned-as-unsafe-in-statement-signed-by-20-headteachers-and-ceos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/715664\/","title":{"rendered":"Frimley Park Hospital’s proposed new location condemned as ‘unsafe’ in statement signed by 20 headteachers and CEOs"},"content":{"rendered":"

They argue a regional hospital on this site will create dangerous conditions for their students\"Frimley<\/p>\n

Large parts of the hospital were built using reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), which is now known to present long\u2011term safety challenges. (Image: Surrey Live)<\/p>\n

20 headteachers and school leaders have signed a letter stating that the proposed location for the new Frimley Park Hospital site creates “substantial” risks for children.<\/p>\n

Recently, plans were revealed to build a new hospital on the land currently occupied by Pine Ridge Golf Club<\/a>. While there is agreement about the need for a new hospital, the preferred location for the rebuild has raised eyebrows locally<\/a>, as well as the process to select it.<\/p>\n

The headteachers <\/a>and CEOs, who oversee the majority of local schools, believe putting a regional hospital on this site will create dangerous conditions for their students, due to the demand it would place on local roads.<\/p>\n

David Harris, CEO of Engage Enrich Excel Academies, told SurreyLive<\/a>: \u201cThe primary concern when I’m speaking to other school leaders is children’s safety because we don’t believe that the addition of the hospital in that place, would actually help us, help our children remain safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a public statement the school leaders said additional hospital traffic, public transport movements, deliveries and construction vehicles would significantly increase risks around school entrances and pedestrian routes used daily by thousands of pupils and families.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for the Frimley Health NHS Foundation said they had listened carefully to the concerns raised.<\/p>\n

Chobham Road, Old Bisley Road and Upper Chobham Road were all identified as key school routes, with estimates that more than 3,000 children attend nearby educational settings.<\/p>\n

David continued: \u201cThe potential disruption to schools and the community where we are, and where the proposed site is on the fuel allotment, raises significant concerns about child safety, and then in addition to that, how that impacts on our educational outcomes. If the children are coming in late. \u201c<\/p>\n

The leaders believe that congestion is likely to affect attendance, punctuality and the wider school experience for families. On top of that there are concerns that patients will look for parking elsewhere, overwhelming local spots.<\/p>\n

David told SurreyLive: \u201cIt’s not just thinking of where we are now, or what it’s going to be like in 10, 15, 20 years’ time.\u201d adding \u201cWe cannot see a way that they can make it safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

The leaders also expressed frustration about the amount of public consultation that had taken place with local schools, saying that these concerns could have been addressed a lot earlier.<\/p>\n

The statement continues that \u201ca fundamental concern is that key transport modelling, infrastructure assessments and mitigation plans appear still to be under development. It is therefore difficult to understand how the Frimley Fuel Allotments can be identified as the preferred option before this evidence has been completed and independently assessed.\u201d<\/p>\n

The statement has been supported by Dr Al Pinkerton MP, representative for Surrey Heath who told SurreyLive: \u201cThis joint statement should be a watershed moment. School leaders responsible for the safety and education of thousands of local children are warning with one voice that serious risks remain unresolved. Their concerns about pupil safety, school access, congestion and emergency access demand clear answers before this proposal advances any further.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike them, I fully support the urgent rebuild of Frimley Park Hospital. Urgency cannot be used to bypass proper scrutiny or meaningful engagement with the communities most affected. Frimley Health Trust must now publish the evidence, respond fully to each concern and demonstrate that the proposed site can operate safely. Until that happens, the proposed site should not proceed as the preferred location.\u201d<\/p>\n

In response to the statement, the Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust issued a statement saying, \u201cThank you for your letter and for the time you have given to meet with us over recent weeks.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has also been important to see the significant traffic issues impacting the school community daily.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to reassure you that we have listened carefully to the points you have raised, particularly in relation to road safety, traffic congestion and the potential impact on children, families and schools should the proposed hospital site progress further.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe need to replace Frimley Park Hospital remains urgent, but it is equally important that any decisions are informed by robust evidence and a full understanding of the impacts on local communities.<\/p>\n

“That is why we are committed to working closely with you as further transport studies, surveys and assessments are developed and undertaken.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recognise that schools have unique insight into local travel patterns, road safety issues and the day-to-day experiences of children and families. Your input will be important in helping to shape the areas that need to be examined and the issues that require consideration.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe look forward to receiving your thoughts and suggestions and to continuing our discussions. As we discussed in our meeting, we are committed to maintaining an open and constructive dialogue throughout this process and are keen to work collaboratively with you as a group to develop the plans and solutions as we progress.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"They argue a regional hospital on this site will create dangerous conditions for their students Large parts of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":715665,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[1398,127797,102,2960,3596,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-715664","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-healthcare","tag-education","tag-frimley-park-hospital","tag-health","tag-healthcare","tag-liberal-democrats","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/715664","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=715664"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/715664\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/715665"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=715664"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=715664"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=715664"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}