CRITICS of the chosen site for Cardigan’s hospital are being told now is not the time to ‘rock the boat’ with the project being at a critical and positive stage in its development.

Comments about the suitability of the site were raised by some councillors at the recent May meeting of Cardigan Town Council.

But with the ‘outline business case’ for the new hospital having been presented to the Welsh Assembly, those involved with the project have said they are satisfied it is a suitable site for the development.

In response to what they perceive as negative comments, Hywel Dda University Health Board’s director of nursing Caroline Oakely, speaking on behalf of the chief executive, said: “We want to be absolutely clear – we are entirely satisfied with our very thorough investigations and analysis of this site, which were carried out by leading engineering consultancies.

“We are at a critical point in progressing this exciting scheme for the people of Cardigan and district, approaching what we hope will be, approval of our outline businesses case.

“We would ask our partners and the wider community to work together with us so that we can get the facilities that local people deserve.”

The ‘extensive ground investigations’ at the site are said to have included drilling test and bore holes, some more than 40m deep, with data collected to ensure the site is suitable.

Work has also been carried out by civil and structural engineers to look into and overcome any challenges related to building on the sloped site.

Concerns were raised at the May meeting that the ground for the new hospital at Bath House was not suitable to be built on because of the springs there.

Councillor Melfydd George had said: “Whoever heard of a building getting built on a bog, it just won’t work,” while then deputy mayor John Adam Lewis said: “I do not understand why this site has been chosen after we offered up free sites to be built on.

“The Teifi Business Park was one very good option.”

Speaking after the meeting, the-then chairman of Cardigan Town Council, Cllr Graham Evans, said that contrary to last week’s report in the Tivy-Side, the concerns were not the general feeling of all councillors.

“That meeting of May 5 was my last as chair of Cardigan Town Council and although concerns regarding the site were raised, this was by no means a general feeling and no vote was taken,” said Cllr Graham Evans.

“We are assured by Mrs Bernardine Rees, chair of Hywel Dda University Health Board that all necessary site appraisals have been undertaken and that experts will be available at the next public meeting on May 21 as well as the next Stakeholders’ meeting.

“We don’t want to rock the boat when we are so near to approval of this long-overdue facility for the people of Cardigan.”

Cardigan Hospital & Community League of Friends has also responded to the comments last week, and says now is the time to look forward and positively towards the development of Cardigan’s new hospital.

Eirwyn Harries, chairman of the league of friends, said: “At last week’s meeting of the Cardigan Hospital & Community League of Friends, members showed their disappointment in the report which appeared in the Tivy-Side newspaper which showed a negative opinion on the chosen site for the new Integrated Care Centre for Cardigan.

“Now is not the time to raise these issues. The issues now being resurrected by the same small minority of people (which had been dealt with over eight years ago) when the choice of seven sites where considered. The Bath-House site was the preferred option.

“Surveys have been conducted by professional bodies confirming the suitability of the site. The land has now been purchased by the Welsh Assembly.

“The Outline Business Case has been presented to the Welsh Assembly for approval.

“Members of the Cardigan Hospital and Community League of Friends have been involved for many years with the preparation of the project and we are looking forward positively to having the new facility in Cardigan.”