DEMOLITION work is under way on part of the former Llanfrechfa Grange Hospital site near Cwmbran, where a new £241million Specialist and Critical Care Centre (SCCC) will be built.

Old administration blocks, and villa buildings that used to be home to long-stay patients, are being knocked down as part of preparations for a new era of healthcare on the site.

And members of the public will be able to get a close-up look at plans for the SCCC at a two-day exhibition next week.

The demolition work – focused on the south west of the old hospital site – is expected to continue until late in the spring.

The 553-bed SCCC, first proposed in 2003 as part of a complete modernisation of Gwent’s hospital services, is scheduled to open its doors to patients in summer 2019.

Building work is scheduled to start in February next year, subject to a final business case – currently being prepared – being approved by the Welsh Government.

It is anticipated that this will be submitted in September, and Aneurin Bevan University Health Board hopes to secure approval next December.

Prior to all of this however, the health board is seeking planning permission from Torfaen council for new layout and landscape proposals.

As part of this, it is hosting a public exhibition on the proposed building design and landscaping, on Monday and Tuesday March 16 and 17, 2.30pm-7.30pm each day, in the main hall at the Llanfrechfa Grange. Project team members will be available to answer questions.

When completed, the SCCC will provide major emergency treatment and assessment, with critical care beds and acute cardiac care beds including cardiac catheter laboratories.

Inpatient services will handle major cases, with specialties such as general surgery, medicine, orthopaedics, haematology and vascular care.

Also included will be inpatient obstetrics, midwifery and consultant-led services, gynaecology, emergency endoscopy, inpatient paediatrics, and neonatal intensive care, emergency diagnostics, radiology, CT and MRI scanning, ultrasound, pathology, pharmacy, and a multi-disciplinary education centre for staff training and development.

Completed designs have been reviewed by Aneurin Bevan Community Health Council and health board staff.