Hospital construction projects worth over £700 million that will bring hundreds of construction jobs to Brighton, and Cambridge have secured funding from the Treasury and private sector developers.
Treasury approval for redevelopment of the Royal Sussex County Hospital (RSCH) in Brighton – the biggest of the three - means the £420 million project will start on site next year. The Treasury has also approved the £165 million Papworth Hospital to be built by Skanska on a medical and science park adjacent to Cambridge’s Addenbrooke Hospital, with construction to start next year under a 30 year Private Finance Initiative deal.
Also in Cambridge planning approval has been given for the £120 million privately funded hospital and mixed use development on the same site. Laing O’Rourke will build the 300,000 sq ft project, called The Forum.
At Brighton existing hospital buildings will be demolished and replaced with facilities consistent with modern healthcare standards under the outline business case for this new investment.
The full business case for the project will be submitted for approval later this year and work on the first building of the main scheme is expected to start in autumn 2015 with completion by 2024.
Matthew Kershaw, Chief Executive of the Trust said "The approval of our Business Case is fantastic news for our patients and staff. We have been working on the plans for this redevelopment for six years. We can now move forward with confidence into the next phase which will lead to the final approval of the project and make our plans a reality.”
“The redevelopment will also provide employment opportunities during the construction phase which will benefit Brighton & Hove and the wider region,” he added.
Over the coming months temporary buildings will be constructed on the RSCH site to house clinical services currently in the redevelopment area. Work at the site will be fully financed from public funds as part of the Department of Health’s capital investment budget.
The hospital’s capacity will expand by 100 beds and the neurosciences and cancer centres will both also be improved as a result of the refurbishment. The redevelopment is expected to increase the square footage for accommodation, and also raise the quality of care due to improved patient flows around the hospital.
