FOR 256 years it provided care and treatment for thousands of servicemen and residents in Hampshire.

But now plans have been handed in to transform a former hospital into a veterans’ village and state-of-the-art care centre.

The ambitious plans to transform the 63-acre site of the 18th century Royal Hospital Haslar in Gosport have been submitted by developer Our Enterprise and could create 1,000 jobs.

The site has a rich history, with permission for the military hospital first granted in the reign of King George II in 1742.

Over the next two-and-a-half centuries casualties from conflicts including the Napoleonic, Crimean and First and Second World Wars have all been treated there, as well as civilians in later years.

But in 1998 the Ministry of Defence announced a major shake-up of defence medicine which would eventually spell the end for the hospital.

Despite widespread protests, it shut in July 2009 and the site was sold to Our Enterprise later that year.

The £200m plans to redevelop the site would make use of the 18th century buildings at the site, while a number of new buildings would also be built.

In its outline application to Gosport Borough Council, Our Enterprise has drawn up plans to create 308 residential units and 214 self-contained retirement units.

Some of the housing would be made available as affordable housing for local veterans. There would also be a 60-bed care home, communal facilities and a health centre.

And if the social enterprise company’s plans are approved, there would also be two hotels, tearooms, a restaurant and bar, a convenience store, a church, a public hall and a heritage centre on the site.

The firm wants to give veterans a helping hand to start their own businesses, and so the site could also contain enterprise space for former servicemen to set up their own businesses, while there would also be employment opportunities for them on site.

A decision on the outline application is expected by September 23.