The partners behind the first integrated, standalone dental hospital and dental school to be built in the UK for almost 40 years have reached financial close and work will start on site later this month.
The landmark development, led by Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust together with its partners the University of Birmingham, Birmingham and Solihull LIFT (BaS LIFT), and Calthorpe Estates, was granted detailed planning permission in December 2012 for the site, which is the former home of BBC Pebble Mill studios.
The new Birmingham Dental Hospital and School of Dentistry is a symbol of everything we want to achieve as a provider of high-quality healthcare services
The development is seen as highly strategic for the city, being a key element of the new Edgbaston Medical Quarter, and further enhances the city’s reputation as a hub of medicine, learning and life sciences.
The development of the 1.23-hectare site will see a new four-storey dental hospital and school of dentistry constructed, with a build cost of £34m. Totalling 15,465sq m, it will house a range of services for the public including walk-in emergency dental care, restorative, oral surgery, oral medicine, orthodontics and paediatric dentistry.
The public will access all dental services in one wing of the building, with a second wing providing world-class research facilities and a modern learning environment for more than 600 undergraduate and postgraduate students and trainees.
Constructed by Galliford Try, it is anticipated the building will open to staff, students and the public in time for the beginning of the 2015 autumn term.
The existing dental hospital at St Chad’s Circus is more than 50 years old and the new building, designed by healthcare design specialists One Creative Environments, will not only provide a state-of-the-art clinical environment for patients’ treatment, but also world-class teaching facilities. As an integral part of the University of Birmingham’s School of Dentistry, students will be better located for the main Edgbaston campus and medical school, allowing for improved integration of facilities.
Tracy Taylor, chief executive of Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust said: “The new Birmingham Dental Hospital and School of Dentistry is a symbol of everything we want to achieve as a provider of high-quality healthcare services.
We have been delighted with the enthusiastic input from the wide cross section of project stakeholders who have worked with us during the detailed design stage to create a strong building identity that will give the new facility visual impact throughout the building’s interior design, wayfinding, signage and colours
“It is very pleasing that construction work can now begin and we are a significant step closer to welcoming staff, students and members of the public to share in the benefits of this exciting development.”
Ewan Forsyth, development director for BaS LIFT, added: “I am excited to have reached this latest milestone for such a significant development. Being the first new integrated dental school and hospital in the UK for decades it is sure to attract regional, national and international interest. Having a facility that compares to the best in the world considerably strengthens Birmingham’s credentials as a centre of medical and dental excellence.”
And Jason Whittall, associate director at One Creative Environments, told BBH : “Getting the scheme to this stage has required a huge effort by all the stakeholders. It has been a challenging task, but we have been delighted with the enthusiastic input from the wide cross section of project stakeholders who have worked with us during the detailed design stage to create a strong building identity that will give the new facility visual impact throughout the building’s interior design, wayfinding, signage and colours.”