A £30 million private hospital, right next to the William Harvey, is expected to open in January next year.

The new One Ashford Hospital will include 10 consulting rooms, four operating theatres, four treatment rooms, an endoscopy suite, 20 en-suite rooms, 10 ambulatory care beds and an MRI and imaging suite.

Funded by Octopus Healthcare and run by One Healthcare, the two-storey building will be just metres away from the William Harvey NHS Hospital, in Willesborough.

Adrian Stevenson, One Healthcare chief executive, said: "Our objective is to provide the very best level of care, delivered by leading consultants, within purpose-built and strategically-located hospital facilities across the UK.

"We are delighted our vision is coming to life with the help of our contractor and are looking forward to seeing the plans come to fruition."

Even though there has been no financial backing from East Kent University NHS Foundation Trust, the private hospital insisted it would like to have a "strong ongoing relationship" with the NHS.

Adrian Stevenson, chief executive of One Healthcare, said the trust could gain a commercial income from its private counterpart by selling some of its services.

Designed by One Healthcare in conjunction with the project architects, William Clarke Partnership, the construction is being carried out by Conlon Construction and is expected to open in January 2016.

Next door neighbour, the William Harvey Hospital is currently in special measures after a damning report from the Care Quality Commission.

The public hospital is run by East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust.

Peter Gilmour, communications director for the trust, said: "The hospital being built near to the William Harvey Hospital is a private hospital."