Carillion's £335m Liverpool hospital wins planning

Carillion is poised to start work on the £335m new Royal Liverpool hospital shortly after planning approval was granted by the city council.

The new PFI hospital, designed by architects NBBJ and HKS as part of the Carillion consortium for the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals Trust, will be the largest 100% single bedroom hospital in the country, something proponents claim will dramatically cut patients’ recovery times and rates of infection.

In May, Carillion’s consortium beat off competition from a rival consortium - which had developed its own design - led by Interserve.

Austin Bell, project director at Carillion, said: “The new Royal will be one of the biggest construction projects in the city. It will provide 750 full time construction jobs, 60% of these will be for local people and 15% from priority wards in the city.

“There will be 100 apprenticeships, along with opportunities for homeless people and 16 to 24 year olds who are experiencing barriers to learning and employment. In addition, 60% of the construction spend of the project will go to the local area, supporting local businesses.”

David Lewis, principal at lead architect NBBJ said: “The new Royal has been designed with patient and staff experience in mind at all times, in order to achieve clinical excellence and a positive healing and working environment.
“The design has a strong civic presence and will act as a landmark and gateway to the city of Liverpool.”

Aidan Kehoe, chief executive of the Trust said it was delighted that Carillion’s planning application had been approved and claimed the scheme would set new standards for the NHS.

He added: “The BioCampus that will be built on the current hospital site, will make Liverpool a city that develops and attracts global talent.
“It will generate 5,000 high value jobs, many of which will be provided by the city’s University Technical College and will help the city develop a thriving knowledge economy.”

Work on site is due to start shortly after the project reaches financial close, expected in January 2014, with completion scheduled for 2017.