HEALTH chiefs may have to drop the price of the former Bartlet Hospital at Felixstowe if they want to sell it.

By RICHARD CORNWELL

Felixstowe editor

richard.cornwell@eveningstar.co.uk>

HEALTH chiefs may have to drop the price of the former Bartlet Hospital at Felixstowe if they want to sell it.

Development company PJ Livesey Group agreed to buy the building and its 3.5-acre site more than two years ago for luxury apartments.

No planning application has yet been made and the deal has not yet been concluded.

The former 50-bed hospital - which closed more than 18 months ago - was on the market for �1.95 million but it is understood the price agreed between the Primary Care Trust, NHS Suffolk, and the developer was much less.

Now the company and the trust are negotiating over the price - with the firm trying to get the property even cheaper.

Answering a Freedom of Information request, Martin Royal, director of business development and external relations for NHS Suffolk, said: “The sale is predicated on securing successful planning to the level and detail that would satisfy an economically viable development.

“At this time it is technical planning issues that are creating the drawn out discussions.

“It is also fair to say that as the process continues there have been discussions around the price for the sale against the backdrop of the current difficult economic climate.

“Owing to this being a commercial transaction it would not be appropriate to release the financial detail.”

There have been extensive talks between the developers and planning officers at Suffolk Coastal but so far no application has been made to convert the Bartlet.

Meanwhile, the Bartlet Bequest Action Group is still drawing up alternative proposals to use it as a respite and convalescent care centre, with complimentary health facilities, in case the deal should not be completed.

Development company PJ Livesey Group were unavailable for comment.

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