Plans are being set in motion to draw up official options for the future of the Royston Hospital site.

The NHS has agreed to endorse an appraisal outlining potential business plans for the site in London Road.

Chairman of Royston Hospital Action Group, Chris Cowsley, said he was ‘encouraged’ by the progress made at the Cambridge and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group meeting on Tuesday.

Chris said: “The preferred option would establish a hub with the potential for health, social and community care services to work together, and with the flexibility to adapt, extend and rebalance services.

“As the population grows, health care needs change and clinical capabilities advance.”

Margaret Allen, director of Royston Community Health, which seeks to make the community’s voice heard about the project, said she was ‘delighted’ with the news and that it represents the ‘next step’ for the project.

On Saturday the team had a stall at the Royston Health Action Day event to ask people their views on proposals for the site.

The building currently sits mostly empty, with some clinical services still active.

Between 2014 and 2015 the site made a loss of £71,000 due to the cost incurred running the building.