A campaigner has started a petition urging for a new hospital serving St Albans, Watford and Dacorum to be built on the former Radlett Airfield site.

Andy Love previously started a petition calling for a hospital to be built central to west Hertfordshire, rather than renovating the existing Watford General. The petition reached over 10,000 signatures, enough to be considered by the Government, but the Department of Health and Social Care argued that the decision would be better made by the local NHS.

The new petition argues that the former Radlett Airfield site would be the ideal location for a new hospital which would serve all of west Herts, with access to the M25, M1, A1(M) and both the Thameslink line and the trainline from Watford Junction to St Albans Abbey.

St Albans district council hopes to build new homes on the Radlett Airfield Site, but developers Helioslough have planning permission for a large Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) on the site. The plans have met with controversy, and the petition urges Herts county council to offer the site to West Herts Hospital Trust as an alternative solution.

Andy said: “I feel passionately that this would be the best use of the Park Street Green Belt if it has to have a development on it. Herts county council did market the site, in Robert Gordon’s time as leader, as having a possible use for housing, a hospital or a solar farm.

“Sadly my father passed away peacefully at home on Sunday morning having had him brought back to the family home. Having experienced the shortcomings of the Watford General Hospital site and facilities over the past three and a half months, my family feel even more passionately that a new and more accessible A&E Hospital is needed for West Herts.

“A special mention to the Rennie Grove nurses who came out to us everytime we needed help with my father’s care and needs and who were there when my father passed away - a truly remarkable charitable organisation whose kindness and support to families dealing with end of life care for their loved ones 24/7 is just incredible.

“This is a once-in-lifetime opportunity to use the land for something that would benefit everyone in Hertfordshire.

The deadline to sign the petition is Friday, August 31. To sign go to https://tinyurl.com/y7fjocnf