DELAYED plans to rebuild the Royal hospital took a step forward after being given the green light by health ministers.
Before hospital trust directors can appoint a contractor to work on the £450m project it must clear two Whitehall hurdles.
The Post can reveal the first condition, clearance from the Department of Health, has been met.
Treasury chiefs must now run the rule over the scheme before it can be given the final green light.
The project was put back in December after government officials said it needed further scrutiny.
The hold-up means the rebuild, due to be completed by the end of 2016, is likely to run on into the following year.
A hospital spokesman said: “Department of Health ministers have now cleared the draft appointment business case for the new hospital for consideration by the Treasury and we expect to hear back from them within the next six weeks.”
Liverpool Riverside MP Louise Ellman, who was among a group of MPs to meet health minister Dan Poulter in December, said she welcomed the news.
She added: “This is an important step, but we are not there yet.
