Commercial Property News

Our magazines are published bi-monthly with in-depth features and news for the commercial property industry. On this page we have the latest news to keep you constantly updated on the market. On the left hand side of the page you can search our archived news which is stored monthly.



Wednesday, July 19, 2023

£300m Wakefield hospitals PFI project receives planning permission

Wakefield Metropolitan District Council gave full planning permission to proposals for the redevelopment of Pinderfields General Hospital and Pontefract General Infirmary on 6 July 2006.

Mid-Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust selected Consort Healthcare as their preferred bidder in November 2004, to replace the two hospitals under a single £300m PFI project. The new hospitals are set to deliver a step-change in patient-environment driven design.

Building Design Partnership is the lead architect, interior designer and landscape architect working in conjunction with Avanti Architects for the Balfour Beatty and Haden Young construction joint venture company.

BDP is responsible for the design of the new 85,000m2 acute hospital on the Pinderfields site on the edge of Wakefield, while Avanti Architects has designed the 18,000 m2 diagnostic and treatment centre at Pontefract.

Tim Wilkins, BDP Project Director, thanked Wakefield Council for supporting the Trust's vision of revitalising the two hospitals and said that "achieving this milestone is great news for BDP and the Consort/Balfour Beatty team, but most importantly for the Trust, its staff and patients who will benefit from enhanced healthcare services in modern facilities designed around their needs."

At Pinderfields the new build acute hospital will comprise an in-patient hotel, women's and children's centres, a rehabilitation institute, an acute services building and a diagnostic and treatment centre. Pontefract will provide, A&E;, inpatient rehabilitation and maternity services along with an outpatient based diagnostic and treatment centre.

It is expected that the new Pontefract Hospital will open in 2008/9 and that the new Pinderfields Hospital will open in 2010/11.

Other members of the design team include clinical strategists Rawlinson Kelly Whittlestone, civil & structural engineers White Young Green, services engineers Buro Happold and fire engineers Arup.