A new day surgery centre for children and adults is planned in an expansion of a city centre hospital.
New operating theatres and recovery areas could be built at the site in the Heavitree area of Exeter, which is part of the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (RD&E).
A planning application has been made for the site with buildings which will overlook the neighbouring Waitrose store.
The RD&E said it had secured a £20m commitment from NHS England to create a new surgical hub.
The plans state the main element of the proposed work “wraps around the existing hospital structure”.
The proposed extension would double the number of surgical theatres from two to four and create new recovery units with spaces for up to 23 people as well as staff changing facilities.
Other work includes the refurbishment of the two existing theatres, a new patient waiting area and a new staff rest area.
The hospital site houses a number of acute services including cancer care, audiology and orthopaedics.
A spokesman for the RD&E said the development would “allow us to increase our capacity for day surgery across a range of specialities, helping to drive down waiting lists and provide surgery to our patients across Exeter and east Devon”.
The plans will be considered by Exeter City Council on a date yet to be decided.
