University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust has appointed McBains to provide project management and cost management services for the construction of the new £250m Sussex Cancer Centre in Brighton.
The appointment follows the recent confirmation of Laing O’Rourke as main contractor for the five-storey facility, which will form a major part of Wave 1 of the Government’s New Hospitals Programme. Located at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, the centre is scheduled to open in 2029 and is set to triple the Trust’s cancer care capacity, supporting up to 60,000 patients a year.
The new building will rise on the site of the former Barry Building, which prior to its demolition was recognised as the oldest hospital building in the country. Its replacement marks a significant step forward in modernising healthcare infrastructure across Sussex.
The Sussex Cancer Centre represents the second phase of the Trust’s ambitious three-stage 3Ts Redevelopment programme. The first phase, the Louisa Martindale Building, opened in 2023 and delivered a major upgrade to acute and specialist services. As part of phase two, a landscaped public plaza will be created to link the new cancer centre with the Louisa Martindale Building, improving connectivity and enhancing the overall patient environment.
The third and final phase of the redevelopment will involve the construction of a new service and logistics yard on the site of the current cancer department, designed to improve operational efficiency across the wider hospital campus.
McBains previously delivered project management, cost management and NEC supervision services for the Louisa Martindale Building, as well as site enabling works for the Sussex Cancer Centre last year.
Hemant Sharma, associate director at McBains, said the firm was proud to continue its involvement in the transformation of healthcare services in the region, building on its experience of delivering modern facilities that enhance both patient care and staff wellbeing.
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