A major redevelopment of Hinchingbrooke Hospital is progressing, with plans to replace the existing facility forming part of the government’s New Hospital Programme.
The hospital, originally built in 1983, is among several NHS sites affected by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), a material linked to structural risk and reduced asset lifespan.
Long-term plans, therefore, focus on delivering a new-build hospital to replace the existing estate.
Early site activity has already begun, with a former nursery building demolished to enable new staff accommodation, which is being delivered by Zed Pods and is due for completion in spring 2027.
The new staff accommodation will provide 85 bed spaces for students, on-call teams and new overseas staff, and will include accessible rooms, improved wi-fi and a courtyard designed to support wellbeing.
Early proposals suggest the new hospital could be delivered on the current site, with enabling works, phased construction and demolition of RAAC-affected buildings included in the strategy.
The scheme is expected to involve a major capital investment, previously estimated at £500m–£1bn.
What is next for the hospital redevelopment?
Plans remain at an early stage, with a Strategic Outline Case approved and further design development underway.
Engagement with clinicians and stakeholders is ongoing to shape future service configuration, including patient flow and departmental adjacencies.
No main contractor has yet been appointed, with the scheme still in early design and approval stages.
An alliance agreement is in place under the New Hospital Programme framework, but this does not include a construction appointment for the main hospital build.
GRAHAM Construction is already delivering a separate early works package on the site, including a new seven-theatre block.
Further procurement is expected for enabling works and demolition of the new hospital, ahead of appointment of a main contractor for the full scheme.
The redevelopment also includes interim investment in clinical infrastructure, including the theatres block, which will support services ahead of the wider rebuild.
Subject to approvals and funding, construction of the new hospital is expected to begin later this decade, with current timelines indicating a start on site from 2028.
The project forms part of wider efforts to address ageing NHS infrastructure and replace buildings affected by RAAC.
The scheme sits within Wave 1 of the New Hospital Programme, which has been reset, with construction now expected between 2025–2030 and completion in the early 2030s (around 2030–2034), reflecting revised national delivery timelines.