The mystery buyer behind the £475,000 winning bid to take control of Lowestoft Hospital has vowed to be 'sympathetic' to its history.
Daniel Shreeve, owner of Lowestoft based Shreeve Commercial Ltd, has revealed his intentions behind the winning bid, and said future proposals will be made available for public viewing.
After closing in 2016, the Tennyson Road site went to auction in October 2018.
Mr Shreeve said: 'We are delighted to confirm that our bid to purchase Lowestoft Hospital in the auction was successful.
'We will be liaising closely with the local council to propose a development scheme that is sympathetic to the hospital.
'Our aim will be to create a development plan that enhances the community, in accordance with the general principles outlined in the Waveney Local Plan, where it is viable and feasible to do so.
'We are excited to undertake this project and by working together with local designers and contractors we are certain we can upgrade this iconic building to its former splendour.
'We have no detailed proposal to date but future progress will be available for public viewing.'
The hospital was sold despite a last-ditch effort from Lowestoft Town Council, along with campaign group Lowestoft Coalition Against the Cuts, in the days before the auction to stop the sale.
Speaking at the time, Waveney District councillor Jane Murray highlighted the closure of the town's magistrate's court and the expected relocation of the record office to Ipswich. She said: 'It feels like the heart is being ripped out of Lowestoft.'
Amid the protests, Cath Byford, deputy chief officer and director of commissioning with NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said: 'Decisions were made a number of years ago that the site was no longer viable for the provision of modern health services and the CCG continues to support that decision.'
Businessman Peter Colby had previously announced his intention to buy the hospital at a public meeting organised by campaigners.
Mr Colby said his proposals would have been to transform the former hospital into a medical centre and houses, but ultimately said legal requirements came in between the purchase.
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