PLANS for a £10m cancer centre in North Yorkshire have been unveiled.

The multi-million pound development will expand cancer services at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton and work could potentially begin on the development this summer if planning permission is granted.

It has been jointly funded by North Yorkshire-based philanthropist Sir Robert Ogden with the cancer support charity Macmillan.

This is his third similar project in partnership with the charity and the building would be known as the Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre.

The building, which will cost in the region of £10 million, will create a modern, state-of-the-art facility for patients, carers and relatives and will include:

• A chemotherapy treatment lounge with capacity to treat up to 35 patients a day

• Complementary therapy facilities

• Treatment and consulting rooms

• A Macmillan cancer information and support centre

• Supporting accommodation (including telemedicine facilities)

Macmillan has been working with South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to develop proposals for the new centre in Northallerton.

Patients, staff and visitors are all being given the opportunity to have their say on the proposed development ahead of a planning application being submitted to Hambleton District Council.

People can view the current design in the Friarage Hospital’s hub between 2pm and 7pm on Wednesday, January 11, and share their views about the proposals.

If planning permission is granted, building work on the new centre could begin this summer with the project completed by the summer of 2018.

Sir Robert Ogden said: “I am delighted to fund this, my third cancer treatment centre in Yorkshire, the design of each one of which improved on and learned from its predecessor. The new Friarage centre is a much needed advance in the provision of cancer treatment to the people of North Yorkshire”.

Paul McCavana, Macmillan head of services for the North, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to provide a state-of-the art cancer care facility, all under one roof, for people in and around Northallerton. It will provide a space for patients to have all their needs assessed, not just physical and clinical, but their financial, emotional and psychological needs too. That will help ensure there’s a more joined-up service.

“We’re pleased to now be in a position, with our partners at South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, to showcase the plans and to acknowledge the generosity shown once again by Sir Robert Ogden.”

The trust’s chief executive Siobhan McArdle said: “This centre will enable us to further enhance our delivery of leading edge cancer services closer to the population we serve.

“This project, along with the new MRI scanner and other planned service developments, demonstrates our long-term commitment to delivering clinically safe and sustainable services to the people of Hambleton, Richmondshire, Whitby and the surrounding area from our Friarage site.”

Comments about the plans can also be made to the operations director at the Friarage Hospital, Ingrid Walker, by email ingrid.walker@stees.nhs.uk throughout January.