Plans have been unanimously approved for a new £22m hospital in the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon.
Designed by AFL Architects for South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust, work on the building will start this month, led by main contractor, Speller Metcalfe.
The local support for this development has confirmed that this is key to our provision for future healthcare
The new hospital will be built adjacent to the existing facility, with all current services being maintained throughout the build period. At 5,700sq m it is approximately twice the size of the current hospital and will include a new 250-space multi-storey car park, energy centre, and public realm as part of the strategic masterplan.
The principle design concept was to produce a community hospital that provided a striking building with a strong identity for the trust, while creating internal spaces that are comfortable, sympathetic and conducive to healing. Similarly, a great deal of care has been taken to ensure all buildings on the site, both new and old, are connected with landscaping and amenity space that is open to patients, visitors and staff alike.
The new hospital will incorporate cancer services on the upper level, including 14 chemotherapy treatment chairs and an emergency treatment room, alongside a range of facilities to support patients, such as information and counselling services, and a complimentary therapy room.
With the approval for this new hospital, cancer care will be brought closer to home for patients and will improve accessibility for residents in South Warwickshire.
The first floor will include 12 outpatient consulting rooms, three macular injection rooms with associated investigation rooms, as well as a dedicated children’s waiting area. There will also be a modern, flexible operating theatre undertaking day procedures for conditions such as cataracts and glaucoma.
The new hospital will also be supported by an energy centre containing a Combined Heat and Power Plant, continuing the trust’s commitment to sustainable, energy-efficient buildings for the future.
We are all absolutely delighted that these plans have been approved as we see the new hospital as a vital part of the area moving forward
The main hospital itself is designed to achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating and features 350sq m of roof-mounted photovoltaics, making use of natural ventilation and daylighting where appropriate.
Extensive use of off-site prefabrication will be used to allow quick and clean construction techniques to be employed. The building has been designed to a minimum BIM Level 2, meaning the trust will receive an information-rich building model at the completion of the project that will greatly simplify their maintenance activities and reduce their lifecycle costs.
Neil Whatford, associate at AFL Architects, said: “We are delighted to have received full planning approval for this prestigious project and look forward to continuing to work with the South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust on the redevelopment of the Stratford Hospital to deliver a range of new and improved services to the people of Stratford-Upon-Avon within this new flagship facility.”
Glen Burley, chief executive of South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust, added: “We are all absolutely delighted that these plans have been approved as we see the new hospital as a vital part of the area moving forward.”
And Jayne Blacklay, the trust’s director of development, said: “For a number of years I have wanted to develop services at Stratford Hospital to provide more care closer to home. The local support for this development has confirmed that this is key to our provision for future healthcare. A tremendous amount of work has gone in to the development of the case to support this build and now our plans have been approved, I can’t wait to get started with the work.”
