Plans have been approved to build a new cancer facility in Sutton.

Earlier this month the council's planning committee heard plans from the Royal Marsden for a new Oak Cancer Centre and subsequently green-lit the project.

A statement by the hospital said the centre will help people with cancer "for decades to come" while its chief executive, Cally Palmer CBE added: "This state of the art facility, with a focus on early diagnosis and accelerating developments in research, will allow us to be there for everyone who needs us for decades to come.

“We have worked closely with the London Borough of Sutton, the local community and clinical professionals to design these proposals, and are excited that the centre will be at the heart of the developing London Cancer Hub - the London Borough of Sutton’s master plan to create a leading life science and healthcare district specialising in cancer research and treatment.

"I’m extremely grateful to everyone who is supporting the Oak Cancer Centre, in particular Oak Foundation and all our other generous donors.”

Named in recognition of Oak Foundation which has donated £25 million, the centre will replace some of these facilities with more modern spaces.

The statement from the Royal Marsden added: "A new Rapid Diagnostic Centre will use the very latest technology to provide faster diagnosis for more people, helping to save lives by diagnosing cancer earlier when treatment is more likely to be successful.

"A new Medical Day Unit will enable patients to enjoy peace and quiet while receiving chemotherapy, and patients visiting the new outpatients department will be able to undergo blood tests, see their consultant and collect a prescription all on the same floor.

"Importantly, the centre will bring together over 400 researchers who are currently dispersed across the site, in spaces designed to encourage collaboration and help speed up the development of new treatments."

Planning permission was approved unanimously by the council. Building work is due to begin next summer, with the centre due to open in 2022.