Runnymede Borough Council has committed £3.2 million of Community Infrastructure Levy funding to transform two vital services at St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey — an investment proposed and driven by Labour councillors, who have long argued that money paid by developers building new homes in Runnymede should be directed towards the NHS facilities our growing community depends on.
The funding was brought to the Corporate Management Committee by Labour Co-leader Cllr Robert King, who chairs the committee, and was supported by Alliance partners in the vote. It is drawn entirely from the Community Infrastructure Levy — contributions paid by developers, not from Council Tax.
A new cardiac lab — faster, safer treatments
£2.9 million will fund a new cardiac catheter lab at St Peter’s, enabling the Trust to carry out more complex and minimally invasive heart procedures more quickly and safely. Combined with an existing £900,000 NHS allocation, the total cardiac investment reaches £3.8 million. St Peter’s is already the leading heart intervention centre for northwest Surrey, carrying out almost 4,400 procedures in 2024 alone — with demand continuing to rise.
Transforming neonatal care for the smallest and sickest babies
The remaining £296,000 will refurbish the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit — the only Level 3 NICU in Surrey, providing specialist care for some of the smallest and sickest babies from across Kent, Surrey and Sussex. The refurbishment will modernise facilities for clinical teams and create more comfortable, private spaces for families during what are often long and distressing periods of care.
Labour’s approach: developer money invested in our NHS
This investment reflects a commitment Labour has championed since taking office in May 2024 — that Community Infrastructure Levy funding should flow back into the infrastructure Runnymede’s residents actually need, including the NHS on their doorsteps.
Cllr Robert King, speaking to James Cannon on BBC Radio Surrey, said: “We’re sort of pioneering, in one respect. I was lucky enough to see some of these units and some of the amazing work the staff do there, but also the importance now of investing in that infrastructure. We really want to support St Peter’s being that regional centre, and making sure our residents get the best clinical care on their doorsteps, because we know that when you have an ill baby or a cardiac patient, time really matters.”
He also highlighted further investments from the same Community Infrastructure Levy pot — including improvements to cycling and walking infrastructure across the borough and new GP facilities in Egham — and encouraged residents to get involved in the next round of community infrastructure funding decisions.
The improvements at St Peter’s are expected to be completed within two years.