Health bosses have been given the go-ahead for a new diagnosis and treatment centre in Winchester.

Construction is scheduled to begin at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in April, for completion in October, 2004.

Planning permission was granted for the scheme at this week's meeting of the city council's planning committee.

The centre will be housed in the top floor of a new four-storey building.

The money for the centre will come from the NHS on a national level - but the funds are yet to be released.

The construction of the new building will cost £11.15m, while the annual running costs of the centre are expected to be in the region of £7.9m.

The board hopes the new centre can clear waiting lists by offering minor surgery currently susceptible to cancellation.

The trust estimates there will be capacity to treat around 18,000 patients every year at the centre.

A hospital spokesman said: "It will mean a huge amount to people because they will come in and get treated when they've been told they're going to get treated."

The project will be managed jointly by the Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust and the Southampton Universities Healthcare NHS Trust.

A similar DTC is being installed at Southampton's Royal South Hants Hospital in a refurbished building.

The combined management structure is designed to cut costs and improve communication.

Only in a handful of cases would Winchester patients be required to go to Southampton for treatment - and vice versa.