A council is stepping up its fight to get a new community hospital built as soon as possible.

Arun District Council says West Sussex Primary Care Trust (PCT) should submit a planning application for the £12 million project as a matter of urgency.

The hospital will help ease pressure on Worthing Hospital, which often struggles to cope with high numbers of patients, especially at winter.

The new hospital will provide beds for patients recovering from operations, leaving Worthing to deal with more seriously ill patients.

Work was originally due to start on the new hospital in Littlehampton in 2006 but was put on hold because of NHS budget problems.

In January 2008 the time was right to build the hospital, which would be up and running by 2010. However delays in securing funding mean the first stage of its business case will not be approved until March or April next year.

Council leader Gillian Brown said: “The time has come for Littlehampton to have what it has been promised for so long now.

“Words are not enough. We must see clear commitment to providing this community hospital from the people who are responsible for financing it.

“I believe an outline planning application submitted to this council for the site would go a long way to confirming the PCT's commitment to providing this facility.”

PCT community hospital project manager Gaynor Baker said: “We have repeatedly, and publicly, declared a commitment to build Arun Community Hospital in Littlehampton and that has not changed.

“We fully understand that people are keen to see the hospital built and that is why we are working hard to achieve just that.”