Plans for Newtown's new hospital and healthcare campus are "well under way" according to Wales' First Minister.

Mark Drakeford said he was supporting proposals for the new "cutting edge" community hospital which are currently under review by the Welsh Government, having been submitted by Powys Teaching Health Board earlier this year.

He was responding to Senedd questions from Montgomeryshire MS Russell George on the progress of the project, but was unable to provide a firm timescale for the approval of the plans.

"Amongst other actions taken by the Welsh Government, we go on investing in capital projects to improve existing hospital facilities in Powys, as well as supporting a business case to build a new multidisciplinary well-being campus in Newtown," said Mr Drakeford.

"The business case has been submitted to the Welsh Government. There is now that iterative process where the plans are interrogated, questions are asked, replies are received.

"It's right that there is a scrutiny process to make sure that an investment of this sort, which is a once-in-a-generation investment, is capable of delivering all the things that people locally would wish to see, and that the money that we will invest in it is achieving the maximum positive impact for that local community.

"And the good news is is that that process is now well under way. So, I look forward, as he does, to the completion of that project. It's a project the Welsh Government is committed to supporting."

Mr Drakeford thanked the Montgomeryshire member for his "consistent support" of the project, and said it provided a "perfect example" of how a local authority and a local health board can come together to provide a new healthcare facility.

Mr George said that he hoped the proposals would attract more health professionals to move to Powys.

"I have been actively supporting these proposals and have been raising the need for a new health facility to support North Powys over many years," he said.

"If agreed, the plans would see a cutting edge, state of the art new community hospital and health care facility in newtown, which would offer more services locally.

"The new facility would also improve health and wellbeing services in our area, with enhanced health checks and appointments being offered locally, rather than having to travel out of county.

"I was pleased that the First Minister agreed and confirmed that the new facility would offer advantages to the local population. I will keep pressing the Government to give the project the green light."