The hybrid planning application submitted by Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust proposes the replacement of the ageing Leighton Hospital in Crewe with a new 1.2 million sq ft super hospital, largely located to the north of the existing estate.
The project was accelerated after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was identified across significant parts of the 1970s-built hospital, with approximately 80% of the estate affected.
The IHP joint venture between Sir Robert McAlpine and Vinci is expected to deliver the six-storey main hospital building, together with an ambulatory cancer care centre, central sterile services department, energy centre, plant facilities and a 1,000-space multi-storey car park.
The scheme will now progress into detailed design development and business case approvals ahead of the procurement of major supply chain contracts.
The new hospital has been designed using the NHS Hospital 2.0 standardised model, which aims to accelerate construction delivery and improve cost efficiency across the national healthcare programme.
Four existing buildings on the perimeter of the estate, providing around 96,840 sq ft of accommodation, will be retained and repurposed, including the emergency department, audiology and ENT unit, satellite outpatient facilities and the Ward 27/28 buildings.
The project team is led by WSP and Ryder Architecture, with support from Gleeds, WT Partnership, Mott MacDonald, Greengage and PwC.
Planning approval has also been granted for the demolition of the South Cheshire Building and its temporary conversion into a 283-space car park to facilitate enabling works.
The wider outline consent includes the demolition of most of the existing hospital estate, construction of new healthcare facilities, a dedicated emergency access route from Middlewich Road, a servicing entrance from Flowers Lane and extensive landscaping improvements.
Construction is expected to begin in 2027 and continue until 2032. Once the new hospital becomes operational, demolition of the remaining older hospital buildings will commence, with clearance works scheduled to continue through to 2034.
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