Plans for the new £267million, 312 bed acute hospital to be located near Enniskillen to serve the south west region have been given the go-ahead by Environment, Minister Sammy Wilson.
Enabling works are currently underway and construction of the new acute hospital is planned to start in Spring 2009.
The major application consisted of plans for an acute hospital on a 16 hectare (40-acre) site which will be three to four storeys in height and will have a basement level with outpatients, accident and emergency wards, operating theatres and laboratories.
It also sought permission for 788 car parking spaces, workers' accommodation, including a crèche, an energy centre, a new roundabout on the A32 Irvinestown Road and a bridge.
Mr Wilson commented, "There has been a lot of debate and discussion over the years about an acute hospital for the south west. This decision means the project has now moved significantly forward.
"From a planning perspective, clearly applications such as this which are of such huge regional importance, should be processed as quickly as possible.
"In this case, the application was processed in just under seven months, despite additional information being submitted late in the process."
Mr Wilson said the granting of the application should also provide a welcome boost for the construction industry at a time of economic downturn.
The application for the acute hospital one kilometre north of Enniskillen town centre was submitted by the Northern Ireland Health Group on 28 April this year and made valid on 20 May last.
It was designated as a major application under Article 31 procedures on 23 June 2008, requiring the Environment Minister, Sammy Wilson to take the final decision based on all evidence submitted during the planning process.
An original outline application was processed under Article 31 procedures and given approval on 13 September 2006.
The new hospital will have a range of acute services, including 24-hour accident and emergency; inpatient services including medicine, surgery, paediatrics, obstetrics, gynaecology and critical care; and a range of diagnostic services and outpatient services."
