A planning application has been submitted for the Sir Bobby Robson Institute, a £30m cancer treatment and research centre proposed for Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital.
Robertson Construction North East is supporting Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust through the planning process, with construction expected to begin next spring subject to approval.
Named after the late Sir Bobby Robson – the legendary football player and manager who died of lung cancer in 2009 – the new institute is designed to pioneer innovation in cancer care and expand the number of clinical trials available to patients across the region.
The project will be funded by The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, part of Newcastle Hospitals Charity, with the trust overseeing its future operation. Robertson Construction North East was appointed as main contractor through the ProCure23 framework and has been working alongside project partners since January, providing pre-construction and design services from RIBA Stage 1 through to Stage 4 technical design.
Working with P+HS Architects, the project team has developed a design inspired by the molecular structure of a hexagon – a feature associated with Rubraca, the first cancer drug developed in the North East.
The new three-storey institute will bring together the existing Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre and the hospital’s cancer and blood disorder research teams. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, the building will allow for a 50% increase in clinical research activity over five years. This will enable specialist teams to deliver larger and more complex trials, benefiting patients locally, nationally and internationally.
Neil Kennedy, regional managing director at Robertson Construction North East, said:
“Our team has been supporting the trust with pre-construction and design to make sure it is ready to move seamlessly into delivery if approved. Having already delivered a number of high-quality projects with the trust, we have seen the positive impact they bring, and I’m confident this proposed project will also make a real difference for patients, staff and the wider community.”
The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation has already raised £20m towards the development, with a new fundraising campaign set to launch to secure the remaining £10m required. If planning permission is granted, construction is expected to begin next spring, with the building scheduled to open in 2028.
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