Maldon's St Peter's Hospital Site would require £18.7 of investment to stay open, says Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust.

They say this is due in part to the "significant backlog maintenance" required at the site, as well as the need to bring the site back up to the required standard for the delivery of NHS services.

The building shows signs of ageing, with damp ceilings, cracked walls and weak floors.

However, the health system says that investment is not considered a viable option, adding that the Victorian building is largely unsuitable and "poor quality".

It adds that they are looking at alternative locations for people to receive healthcare in the Maldon area.

Kevin Jennings, A Liberal Democrat member of Maldon District Council, told the BBC: "The facility is beyond the type of money we need to restore it, if we were having this conversation 20 years ago - maybe something could have been done."

The investment would be just over three times the predicted sale cost of the Victorian site, which has a net value of £6.2 million.

The MSE Foundation Trust is encouraging the community to respond to their consultation into the future of healthcare services in Mid and South Essex.