New East of England children's hospital to open in Cambridge
Plans for a new £300 million children's hospital in Cambridge have been given the go ahead. It will be the first of its kind in the East of England.
The government has given the go-ahead for £100 million of funding to be released for the first phase of the project.
Click to watch a report by ITV News Anglia's Hannah Pettifer
The Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the new hospital will use cutting edge technology to give the "very best treatment in the whole world" to sick children.
The centre will integrate physical and mental health services alongside university research. It'll be funded by selling off surplus NHS land.
The announcement was made among a raft of other investments in the Health service across the UK.
Lady Mary Archer, the former chair of the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, has campaigned for a dedicated children's hospital for years. She said she was "delighted" by the news.
Click to watch an interview with Lady Mary Archer
Cambridge's new hospital - to be be built on the Addenbrooke's/Royal Papworth site - will be the first of its kind in the region.
While funding for this hospital isn't part of the £963 million allocation, the Health and Social Care Secretary's green light means the hospital can take the next steps to raise funds from established measures such as selling surplus land.
Mr Hancock was speaking about the investment on Good Morning Britain earlier.