Plans to rebuild Liverpool's Alder Hey children's hospital have been given the go ahead by the Labour government, meaning developers can now begin to to bid for the £288million scheme.
The project will transform children's care in Liverpool, with hospital buildings over 100 years old being pulled down and replaced with innovative and imaginitive architecture and design ideas.
Speaking after hearing the news, Liverpool Labour's Health, Care and Safeguarding spokesperson Wendy Simon welcomed this record investment.
Wendy said: "The Labour government's commitment to health care in Liverpool has never been clearer than this. This is a huge investment, and will allow us to build a world class hospital, right here on our door step."
"I have already seen some of the draft plans and they are really interesting. I am so excited to see what the designers come up with - this is going to take all of their powers of imagination, and I can't wait to work with them."
Liverpool Labour leader Joe Anderson welcomed the news, and pointed to it as just one part of a Labour strategy to transform health care in Liverpool: "Compare what health care was like in Liverpool 12 years ago, under the Tories, and what its like now."
"12 years ago, we had 18 month waiting lists, we had chronic under investment, we had under paid nurses and we had crumbling hospital buildings. The Tories brought our NHS to its knees."
"But just look at the transformation 12 years of Labour government has made! 18 month waiting lists are things of the past, nurses now get paid a professional wage, and Labour is spending £288million on Alder Hey, and another £450million on rebuilding the Royal."
"I can't wait to see what the new Alder Hey looks like. It will be a world class facility of which we in Liverpool really can be proud."