The Government has set out a timetable for Malvern's new Seaford Court hospital after being pressed about delays to the project.

Both town and district councils this week unanimously called on South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust to reaffirm its commitment to the project

In Parliament last week, West Worcestershire MP Sir Michael Spicer asked health minister John Hutton when building work would start on the proposed new hospital.

There were concerns the project was slipping after a key member of the health trust staff left.

Mr Hutton replied by letter and said, subject to the approval of the business case submitted to the Strategic Health Authority, it was estimated work would start by the beginning of 2005 and be completed by 2006/7.

Sir Michael said: "I was deeply concerned there had been further delays in the last few weeks and that must not happen again.

"They must keep to the timetable and the hospital must be built in the next few years."

Malvern Town Council has unanimously supported a call for the Primary Care Trust to issue a statement on the new hospital.

A motion was presented to the council at its meeting on Tuesday by Pat Merrick, a town councillor and chairman of the League of Friends of Malvern Community Hospital.

Mrs Merrick asked the council to register its disappointment at the recent delays.

The council's statement said: "The town council is aware of the importance which local people attach to this project and it therefore calls on the Primary Care Trust to issue a statement giving as much information as possible, including an indicative timescale, in particular when building will start."

Malvern Hills District Council made a similar decision at its meeting, also on Tuesday, when councillors voted, again unanimously, to seek reaffirmation of the Primary Care Trust's commitment to the project and request a timetable for its implementation.

Council leader Tom Wells said he was confident that alternative locations for the Pickersleigh Road depot, where the Primary Care Trust plans to build a new health centre, had been found.

The Primary Care Trust committed itself to the hospital project at Seaford Court, off Worcester Road, in return for land at the depot site in a deal made with Malvern Hills District council in May.

At Tuesday's meeting, Coun Clive Smith said: "If that surgery gets built and that hospital disappears we will have failed. Let us ensure that one doesn't happen without the other."