A £300 million investment to build a new emergency hospital in Shropshire has been welcomed by local MPs.

Health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, confirmed today that up to £312m will be available to fund the building of the new centre which will serve the area currently covered by the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.

The news means a public consultation on the controversial Future Fit plan can finally go ahead.

North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson said: "Delighted to see NHS Future Fit reconfigurations progress to consultation with firm commitment of £312 million funding - almost certainly biggest public investment ever in Shropshire.

"I urge everyone to support the consultation to avoid further delays to vital improvements."

Meanwhile, MP for Montgomeryshire, Glyn Davies, said it was "truly brilliant news", adding that it will be "the biggest investment in the NHS this year".

He continued: "I hope to speak to groups around Montgomeryshire to outline the position, and encourage as many people as possible to respond [to the consultation].

"There is no reason why we cannot now go ‘full steam ahead’ and I expect design and tendering work to be finalised quickly and to see diggers on site early next year."

The preferred option for the future of healthcare across the county as supported by Shropshire's Clinical Commissioning Group last year and Telford and Wrekin CCG earlier this year would see an emergency care centre based in Shrewsbury, supported by a planned care centre in Telford. These would be backed up by urgent care centres based around the region, with the hope that one could be established in Oswestry.