Plans for a major new clinical building at Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax have been approved, paving the way for construction to begin in summer 2026. Laing O’Rourke’s proposal marks a key milestone in a £200 million programme to upgrade healthcare facilities across the region. The new development will deliver a state-of-the-art hospital building featuring separate emergency departments for adults and children, along with eight new wards. Completion is expected in 2029. The scheme received reserved matters approval from Calderdale Council, confirming the design, appearance, layout, and landscaping details. This approval represents one of the final planning hurdles for the long-term redevelopment of the hospital estate. Designed to reflect Halifax’s architectural character, the new building will integrate seamlessly with existing facilities while embracing modern sustainability principles. It is targeting a BREEAM Excellent rating, underpinned by high energy efficiency, low waste, and biodiversity measures. Laing O’Rourke, which was appointed to lead the design and planning in 2024, has placed sustainability and modern construction techniques at the core of its approach. Project leader Christopher Northwood said the firm would use modern methods of construction to minimise carbon impact and accelerate delivery. Preparatory works, including essential upgrades to power and water services, are due to start in the coming months ahead of main construction activity next summer. The project forms part of Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust’s wider Foundations for our Future programme, which aims to transform hospital and community healthcare services across the region. Once complete, the redeveloped Calderdale Royal Hospital will offer expanded capacity, improved patient flow, and modern facilities designed to support high-quality, sustainable care. The new building is set to become a landmark within Halifax, blending local architectural heritage with cutting-edge clinical design. It will create improved environments for patients and staff while supporting the Trust’s goal of providing more resilient and sustainable healthcare infrastructure for the future. With planning approval now secured, Laing O’Rourke’s focus will shift towards finalising design and procurement activities, readying the site for construction in mid-2026. The project is expected to provide a significant boost to the local economy, supporting jobs and skills development throughout the build phase and beyond. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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: 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. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Midlands contractor, G F Tomlinson, has started works for a new purpose-built family contact centre in Worksop, providing vital support services for vulnerable children, young people, and families across the county. The modern, energy-efficient facility is being designed, project, and cost managed by Arc Partnership, a joint venture between Nottinghamshire County Council and SCAPE, and is expected to be complete by summer 2026. The new centre, which was procured under the SCAPE Regional Construction framework will offer a significantly improved setting for supervised contact visits, safeguarding and educational services, including private contact rooms, two conference rooms, kitchen facilities and a secure outdoor play area, creating a calm and welcoming environment for families and professionals. The development, which replaces an outdated bungalow accommodation building, will be a single storey steel frame structure, with external brick walls. Landscaping and car parking will also be included in the scheme. The building will boast a number of features that reduce electricity demand from the grid and improve energy security for the Council.  The building will feature 25m2 of photovoltaic panelling to locally generate electricity, a high-performance building fabric and high efficiency mechanical and electrical plant, including air source heat pumps, contributing to Nottinghamshire County Council’s wider strategy of investing in sustainable, modern public service buildings that are cost efficient to run. Andy Sewards, Group Chairman at G F Tomlinson, said: “We are proud to be working alongside Arc Partnership and Nottinghamshire County Council on this vital project that will positively impact the lives of families across the county. The new facility will not only provide a safe, secure, and comfortable space for children and families, but it’s also being constructed with energy-efficiency and long-term sustainability in mind. As a local contractor, we are equally pleased to be providing social value initiatives within the community and employment and apprenticeship opportunities for young people, helping develop future talent in the local construction industry.” Martha Constantinou, Technical Apprentice at G F Tomlinson, said: “As part of my apprenticeship with G F Tomlinson, working on the new family contact centre in Worksop has been a great learning experience and has really helped me to understand how a project comes together on site. It’s been rewarding to be involved in something that will make such a difference to the local community, and I hope it gives families and vulnerable young people the same chance for support and opportunity that I’ve had through my apprenticeship.” Councillor Mick Barton, Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “Supporting the most vulnerable children, young people and families in our community is a key priority. This new space will provide essential services in a much better environment and the chance to meet with social workers in a welcoming and calm place to help put everyone more at ease. “The new, fit-for-purpose building with a secure play area is vital, and only a stone’s throw away from the current location. As the contact centre will use less energy because of the way it has been designed, we’ll save money on bills and this investment is also good news for the local supply chain, as there’ll be many contract opportunities to help get the building fully ready.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Midlands contractor, G F Tomlinson, has been appointed to deliver a major new extension at the Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, located at the University of Nottingham’s University Park Campus – a facility that will soon house the most powerful MRI scanner in the UK. Working in partnership with the University of Nottingham, the project will see the construction of a highly specialised extension to accommodate a new 11.7 Tesla Ultra High Field MRI scanner – a 70-tonne, state-of-the-art system that will enhance the UK’s capability for world-leading brain imaging research. The building project commenced in July 2025, and a ‘first look’ ceremony was officially held on 15 October. This was attended by Director of the Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre and project lead, Professor Richard Bowtell, Pro-Vice Chancellor for the Faculty of Science, Professor Zoe Wilson and Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange Professor Tom Rodden from the University of Nottingham and representatives from G F Tomlinson. The extension is due for completion in January 2027, with works carefully phased to minimise disruption to staff, students and the wider campus community. Once operational, the new facility will offer vital insight into human brain function and play a pivotal role in strengthening national research into neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The scheme, totalling 250 sq. metres, will create a new Magnet Hall – an iron-shielded space designed to safely contain the magnetic field generated by the new scanner. Surrounding infrastructure will include a control and equipment room, clinical spaces, patient waiting areas and essential welfare facilities to provide a comprehensive clinical and research environment. The highly complex nature of the project includes the integration of the 70-tonne magnet, substantial reinforcement of the floor slab to support both the magnet and its iron shield, and precise tolerances required for the installation of sensitive imaging equipment. Designed in collaboration with the University’s leading academics, magnet supplier Tesla Engineering and scanner supplier Philips Healthcare, the iron shielding has been engineered and installed by IMEDCO, ensuring precise containment of the magnet’s powerful field. G F Tomlinson’s appointment marks the continuation of a successful partnership with the University of Nottingham that spans over 20 years. Previous schemes include the Biodiscovery Institute, and Advanced Manufacturing Building and the contractor is currently delivering projects across three of the University’s campuses, including the Hydrogen Propulsion Systems Lab at Jubilee Campus, alongside the Clinical Training Centre roof replacement at University Park. As with previous schemes on live campuses, G F Tomlinson will implement strict management and liaison protocols to ensure health, safety, and continuity of academic operations. While not subject to BREEAM, the scheme incorporates some sustainable practices, including the reuse of existing roof tiles and stone found on-site. A bespoke social value action plan is being developed in collaboration with the University, focusing on student engagement through site tours, work experience opportunities, and industry exposure for local families and academic staff. The scheme has been developed by a specialist project team including the University of Nottingham, project manager – EDGE, architect, principal designer and structural engineer – William Saunders, M&E engineers – Mellor Bromley Mechanical and Morecroft Electrical, and cost consultant (PQS) – AtkinsRéalis. Andy Sewards, Group Chairman, G F Tomlinson, said: “It’s a privilege to once again be supporting the University of Nottingham in delivering a facility that will have a lasting legacy in clinical research. Having previously completed landmark schemes such as the Biodiscovery Institute, we are proud to be working once again at University Park Campus – as well as delivering projects across the University’s Castle Meadow and Jubilee Campuses. “The Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre extension will become a cornerstone of medical excellence in the UK, and we’re pleased to be contributing our expertise to such a nationally significant facility.” The new national scanning facility is being funded through the UKRI Infrastructure Fund. The UKRI Infrastructure Fund supports the facilities, equipment and resources that are essential for researchers and innovators to do ground-breaking work and will help to create a long-term pipeline of research and innovation infrastructure investment priorities for the next 10 to 20 years. Professor Richard Bowtell, Director of the Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre is leading the project and said: “It’s a huge moment to see the building starting to take shape after months of meticulous planning for this complex project and we’re delighted to be working with GF Tomlinson. “We’re extremely proud to be building on Sir Peter’s Mansfield’s legacy that started here with the invention of MRI in the 1970’s. The Ultra-High field scanner is the next generation in technology and will provide a step change in the capabilities of imaging research, opening up new opportunities for collaboration and innovation to bring new understanding to a range of diseases.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Main construction has begun on Derriford Hospital’s new Emergency Care Building, the first scheme in Wave 1 of the Government’s New Hospital Programme to move from enabling works to full build. Procured under ProCure23 with Mace, the £140m four-storey facility will double urgent and emergency capacity for University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust and is due to open in 2028/29. The project replaces the hospital’s 1970s emergency department with a modern care hub designed around faster pathways, co-located diagnostics and better staff amenities. At ground level, a new Emergency Department will expand majors, resus and assessment capacity, while the reconfigured existing ED will become a dedicated paediatric emergency department on completion. The first floor will house a Same Day Emergency Care unit to support rapid admission, treatment and discharge, easing bed pressure across the wider estate. Upper floors concentrate high-acuity services and imaging. Plans include four interventional radiology theatres, five surgical theatres for both emergency and planned procedures, new imaging suites, recovery areas and improved staff facilities. The extension will be connected into the live hospital to maintain clinical adjacencies while minimising patient transfers, crucial for a site that serves as the major trauma centre for the South West peninsula. Marking the milestone, programme director Stuart Windsor said: “It has been a long journey to get to today, but we will now finally see the new Emergency Care Building start to rise from the ground.” Willmott Dixon director Rob Woolcock added: “This represents not just the beginning of a building, but the next step in enhancing the care and wellbeing of thousands of patients every year… a modern, purpose-built environment designed to support both patients and staff.” Beyond clinical capacity, the scheme targets regional skills and supply-chain benefits. Through its Building Lives Academy, Willmott Dixon will create apprenticeships, employment support and training, with a focus on sourcing materials and labour locally across the South West. The contractor’s healthcare track record includes the £30m regeneration of Barnes Hospital in London and the £150m redevelopment of Springfield University Hospital in Wandsworth. For designers and delivery teams, the brief reflects current NHS priorities: future-proofed floorplates, clear wayfinding, robust infection-control strategies, and resilient MEP with space for emerging technologies. With ground broken in Plymouth, Wave 1 now has a live benchmark for how the New Hospital Programme intends to modernise emergency care while driving social value in host communities. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Midlands contractor, G F Tomlinson, has officially commenced construction on the new £7 million Bentley Primary Care Centre in Doncaster, which will bring vital health and community services all under one roof. Located on Chapel Street in the heart of Bentley, the new three-storey, 1,215m² care centre will provide purpose-built, modern facilities to support integrated healthcare delivery for City of Doncaster Council. Funding for the construction is provided by NHS England, with NHS South Yorkshire ICB providing revenue for the building once complete. Set to complete in spring 2026, the centre will bring together two existing GP practices – Don Valley Healthcare and The Ransome Practice – offering state-of-the-art facilities for the future delivery of Primary Care services, greater access and choice for patients, and enhanced integration of NHS and services. The scheme also aligns with the ‘NHS Long Term Plan,’ a 10-year strategy to improve and reform the NHS over the next decade, harnessing digital technology to improve the efficiency of primary care. The scheme is being developed on the site of the former Bentley Community Library, which has already been demolished to make way for the new care centre. G F Tomlinson as the main contractor is undertaking the design and construction of the steel-framed building, which will feature a mix of brickwork and cladding on its façade, along with associated external works to complete the scheme. As part of their commitment to social value, G F Tomlinson will deliver a number of initiatives throughout the project, including apprentice placements, work experience for local students, engagement with local Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise’s (VCSE’s) and use of local supply chain. The care centre will be delivered to a BREEAM Excellent rating, with sustainability features including rooftop photovoltaic panels, electric vehicle charging points, and integrated bird and bat boxes within the façade. Adrian Grocock, Managing Director at G F Tomlinson, said: “We’re very pleased to be working with City of Doncaster Council on this much-needed care facility for the Bentley community. As our first project with the council, we’re excited to build a strong working relationship, while further strengthening our healthcare portfolio, having recently delivered successful schemes such as Greenwood House Medical Centre in Stafford and West Bridgford Medical Centre in Nottingham.” Anthony Fitzgerald, Executive Place Director for Doncaster, NHS South Yorkshire said: “This development is brilliant news for the Bentley area and surrounding communities. A new state of the art primary care centre will ensure our communities are serviced by the best possible, efficient healthcare which meets their needs.” Councillor James Church, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Planning and Public Health at City of Doncaster Council said: “We are delighted to see work begin on this project, which will allow for the Bentley community to receive local healthcare easier and more efficiently than ever. Accessing healthcare more efficiently has many benefits, with none more important than residents being able to access healthcare right in the heart of their local community. This is a must for all communities, and it is brilliant news that this local project is now underway.” Further stakeholders involved in the scheme include P+HS Architects, Sewell Advisory as project manager, and Bridges Pound as structural, civil, and geotechnical engineer. NHS South Yorkshire ICB and two GP practices are also key stakeholders. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

NHS Property Services is pleased to announce Community Health Partnerships (CHP) has signed an agreement for the provision of NHS Open Space, following a successful pilot in partnership with Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent and South-East London ICBs. NHS Open Space provides a modern online portal, enabling users to view building details, photographs and floor plans as well as accessing room availability, accessibility information and opening hours. The pilot delivered an 83% positive user satisfaction rate, with 79% of users likely to book space again following their experience. The platform allows both NHS teams and pre-approved external organisations – including charities, local public sector and local providers – to book clinical and non-clinical space supported by robust and intuitive utilisation and data analytics, actively supporting the government’s 10 Year Health Plan commitment to shift the NHS from analogue to digital systems over the next decade. The award-winning digital booking platform, developed by NHS Property Services and recognised by industry experts*, is designed to help NHS landlords better manage their estate by improving utilisation and enabling flexible service delivery. The newly announced agreement follows a successful pilot, run by CHP in collaboration with South-East London and Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), with existing bookable room users and CHP tenants. The trial demonstrated measurable improvements in estate utilisation across 18 CHP sites with 151 bookable rooms, maximising the use of available space for clinicians and other users, while reducing the time spent by NHS colleagues on administrative processes, unlocking greater value and freeing them up to focus on patient care. “The team understood the ICB’s requirements and supported delivery of the expected outcomes,” said Tony Rackstraw, Programme Director at South-East London ICB. “We are confident that NHS Open Space will become the predominant booking application for our estate.” Chris King, Head of NHS Open Space, said: “We are thrilled that CHP, ICBs, tenants and partners have seen such great results since adopting NHS Open Space in the pilot locations. The NHS Open Space solution is about making every square metre of the NHS estate work harder for patients, staff, and communities, and the success of this pilot demonstrates how NHS Open Space can transform estate management, reduce administrative burden, and unlock new opportunities for care delivery.” Kate Ronan, Director of Digital, Data & Technology at Community Health Partnerships, added: “From the NHS Open Space pilot, we saw some really positive and tangible benefits delivered for our partners, room users, and tenants. Based on this success, CHP has agreed to work with NHS Property Services on the wider roll out of NHS Open Space to more of CHP’s bookable estate. We are working collaboratively with ICBs on this project alongside other partners over the next two years, and look forward to working with NHSPS to help services better support their patients in the local community.” CHP are currently working with ICBs across England to explore options to roll out NHS Open Space to appropriate healthcare buildings across their portfolio of 308 Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) buildings, with four ICBs confirmed for a phased rollout to 18 buildings in 2025/6. The initiative supports the NHS’s strategic shift toward neighbourhood health services from hospital-based care, also outlined in the Government’s 10-Year Plan as one of the three key priorities. The success of the pilot and subsequent partnership also follows the delivery of NHSPS’ recent Space Optimisation Survey which revealed that almost 9 out of 10 NHS leaders have a low to medium awareness of current space utilisation across their estate. Following this research, the property experts published their NHS Estate Optimisation Guide, designed to help the NHS best approach the process of assessing and adapting its spaces with more than 500 copies downloaded since it went live this summer. For more details read the NHS Open Space CHP Pilot case study here: NHS Property Services | NHS Open Space and Community Health Partnerships Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

On 11 September, the Chiswick community came together to celebrate the success of the new Chiswick Health Centre, a £23 million purpose-built facility designed to transform local healthcare and wellbeing.   The celebration welcomed Councillors from the London Borough of Hounslow, representatives of the West London NHS Trust, GP practice teams, and community groups, all of whom played a vital role in shaping the vision for the centre. Councillors and the local MP, Andy Slaughter, toured the modern facility, which houses three GP practices (Chiswick Health Practice, Chiswick Medical Practice, and West4GPs) as well as Chiswick Primary Care Network staff and services.  The new centre, which has welcomed over 14,000 patients since March, is a reflection of the NHS 10-Year Health Plan’s ambitions, setting a blueprint for neighbourhood-based care. It offers expanded GP services, mental health support, and community-led wellbeing activities, while also building close working relationships with local secondary care services. This approach brings hospital services closer to home, ensuring patients receive the right care in the right place, and strengthening the integration between primary and secondary care.  The building also meets high environmental standards with features such as solar panels and LED lighting that are leading to a 77% reduction in carbon emissions.  Kieran Kinsella, Director of Advisory Services at NHS Property Services, said: “The delivery of Chiswick Health Centre is a proud achievement for NHSPS and a clear example of how we’re helping shape the future of healthcare infrastructure. This project reflects the ambitions of the NHS’s 10-Year Health Plan by creating modern, inclusive, and community-focused spaces that support prevention, integration, and wellbeing.”  Cllr Tom Bruce, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Assets, Regeneration and Development, said: “This modern facility not only offers a central hub for health and community services but also includes the provision of 55 social homes. Over £1 million in Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funds were allocated by the Council to support the practical implementation and temporary relocation costs of this project.”  Dr Christopher Hilton, Chief Operating Officer for Local Services, West London NHS Trust said: “We’re incredibly proud to officially open the doors to the new Chiswick Health Centre, a friendly neighbourhood healthcare space for the community. It’s truly heartening to see so many of our partners, colleagues, and local residents gathered here to celebrate this milestone together. This centre marks a step forward in bringing health care closer to home, making it more accessible and responsive to the needs of our community today and for future generations to come.”  Dr Chloe Hillman, GP Partner Chiswick Health Practice, said: “The staff and patients of Chiswick Health Practice are delighted to be settled back into the new Health Centre, in the heart of Chiswick. We look forward to caring for our patients, working with our secondary and community services colleagues and developing modern and progressive models of care, nearer home in this excellent facility for many years to come.”  Andy Slaughter, MP for Hammersmith and Chiswick, said: “Chiswick Health Centre is a very impressive modern facility. It’s brilliant to see investment in GP services and a community space that residents can enjoy.”  Donna Schoenherr, Founder & Director of Move into Wellbeing, said: ” The new community space at the Chiswick Health Centre fits perfectly into the activities and needs of Move into Wellbeing’s Dance & Movement classes by being centrally located, fully disabled accessible, having a Ground Floor location, and by providing a lovely clean airy room to use for the hour long Dance & Movement sessions. The central Chiswick location, accessibility, potential to live – stream the sessions, and the lovely environment greatly assist Move into Wellbeing in achieving its objectives. These objectives centre around the offering of weekly fun and effective Dance & Movement sessions, and the opportunity for social contact and interaction for the local residents 60+, all coming together to help to improve the attendees health and wellbeing and their quality of living. These assets can also be opened to a wider range of participants across the Borough with the live – streaming is in place. The new Community Space is a very well-equipped to hold our sessions and has immense potential for further MiW programmes for the community.”  Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals