A major investment in local healthcare has been unveiled with the completion of a new Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) at Northgate Hospital, designed to improve access to scanning and diagnostic services for communities across East Norfolk and Waveney.
The £8 million redevelopment, delivered by Morgan Sindall Construction’s Eastern Counties team, was commissioned by the James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (JPUH) and procured through the Pagabo construction framework.
The project has transformed the hospital’s former Cranbrook Building into a state-of-the-art facility offering a CT scanner, cardiac and lung diagnostics, and multiple consultation and treatment rooms. By repurposing an existing structure rather than building anew, the Trust has reduced both costs and carbon impact.
The centre welcomed its first patients in late April after the early completion of the CT scanner area and main reception. By August, additional diagnostic services came online as new consultation spaces opened. The final construction phase — a new drainage system — was completed in September.
To create the CDC, Morgan Sindall undertook a full strip-back and refurbishment of the two-storey building. The structure was reinforced with new internal supports before being completely refitted with modern floors, walls, doors and a new mechanical and electrical system.
Three extensions were built to accommodate the CT scan room and control area, a plant room, and a new fire escape stairwell. The roof was retiled and insulated, and energy-efficient windows and systems were installed to make the facility more sustainable and cost-effective to run.
The redeveloped building features:
- Ground floor: Main reception, two echocardiogram rooms, three consulting rooms, and a treatment room.
- First floor: Five treatment rooms, two consulting rooms, and respiratory testing facilities.
New staff areas and offices mirror the layout and design of James Paget University Hospital, ensuring a familiar environment for clinical teams who work across both sites.
Given the age of the Cranbrook building, Morgan Sindall applied its Intelligent Solutions approach to deliver temporary works and structural alterations that allowed for open floor plans and efficient construction.
By retaining and upgrading the existing building, the Trust reduced embodied carbon and future energy use. Modern insulation, high-performance materials, and efficient systems will keep operational costs down while supporting NHS sustainability goals.
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