A bold new entrance, reception area and two shops are set to be given the green light at Basildon Hospital.

The welcoming new entrance is set to overhaul the existing gateway to the hospital, which has not been changed since it opened in 1973.

The project includes a new bereavement suite.

Kerry Smith, councillor for Nethermayne ward, said: “This is great news for the hospital.

“It looks good to me.

Anything that improves the patient experience has to be a positive.”

New pedestrian walkways will also be built as part of the plans, with a central walkway to link the existing building to the new entrance.

Plans for the two-storey entrance is set to be given the go-ahead by Basildon Council.

Recommending approval of the scheme, the council’s planning team said: “The proposal is for a new two-storey extension to provide a modern entrance to the main hospital building.

“It will be of a contemporary design and of an acceptable scale and will be an improvement on the existing entrance to this building.

“It will have limited impact on neighbouring occupiers.

“It will provide a new reception area, together with two new retail units for visitors and staff and patients of the hospital, and clearer links to main walkways within the hospital building.”

A new 14-space car park will also be built, but 34 spaces will be lost.

Mr Smith added: “Parking needs to be addressed at the hospital.

“We need increased spaces for staff and parking.

“My idea would be to build a new multi-storey car park as well, perhaps with space for an air ambulance to land on top.”

However, the assessment of the planning application said: “There are significant levels of car parking on the site, with the large multi-storey car parking a short distance to the north of the proposed extension providing over 1,500 spaces, as well as other parking areas within the grounds, meaning that parking issues on the site are now managed more effectively.”

The ambitious project will be completed by 2022 if it is given the go-ahead by the council tomorrow.