A PLAN to build a new 1,300-student teaching campus on the site of the much-delayed new ‘super’ hospital in Smethwick has been backed by councillors.

The ‘major’ new campus will be built next to the £988 million Midland Metropolitan University Hospital in Smethwick after being backed unanimously by Sandwell Council’s planning committee.

The work on the £19 million campus is expected to start early next year.

The education and skills campus will provide a range of healthcare training from entry to masters level with links to the new hospital.

A statement from the NHS read out during the meeting on October 25 said: “This is a purpose-built campus at the gateway to the new Midland Metropolitan University Hospital and benefits from close and direct links with the new hospital. 

“It will provide training and pathways into employment into healthcare and related professions.

“It will be community-focused, it will deliver social value during construction and has been designed with a net zero carbon building.”

The near billion pound ‘super’ hospital was supposed to be opening in spring 2024 but has been delayed again – with NHS bosses admitting they were now looking to the autumn for the site to be ready.

This spring’s opening date would have already been six years behind schedule.

The construction of the hospital has been hampered by delays following the collapse of construction firm Carillion in 2018 and the Covid-19 pandemic.

The project will be funded using some of the £23.5 million given to Sandwell from the government’s Towns Fund.

It is a collaboration between Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, Sandwell Council, Sandwell College, Aston University and the University of Wolverhampton.

The council’s planners said the campus would “establish a university presence in Smethwick.”

The design of the brick and metal campus building is said to have been influenced by Sandwell’s industrial past – particularly the sawtooth roof which also provides renewable energy to add to the building’s green credentials. 

The application said the building would produce net zero carbon emissions once up and running.