Birmingham £553mproject reaches financial close

In January 2004 Consort Healthcare, the PPP/PFI healthcare vehicle for Balfour Beatty, together with Building Design Partnership’s (BDP) design team, became PFI preferred bidder for the second largest hospital building project in the UK.

BDP chairman Nick Terry commented: “While we were anticipating it, we are absolutely delighted with the news which consolidates our leading position in healthcare design. It has been a tremendous team effort between BDP, Consort Healthcare and the University Hospital Birmingham Trust. We can now all look forward to the completion of this landmark project in 2011 which will give Birmingham leading-edge facilities.”

The hospital, set to revolutionise healthcare design, will provide 1,213 beds as well as an accident and emergency department, specialist burns and transplant wards and operating theatres. Services for mental healthcare will also be provided in three specialist units replacing the current psychiatric hospital. Enabling works began in 2004. A new multi-storey car park opened in January 2006 and the mental health facilities will open in 2008. The foundations of the main acute hospital are now underway, with the first phase due to open in 2010 and completion due in 2011.

Andrew Smith, BDP project director, explained: “This is a much needed facility for Birmingham. Our design is focused on the concerns of the individual patient. The design will support the efficient provision of the best possible clinical service in an environment that is attractive and uplifting, not only for patients themselves, but also for their visitors and the staff who provide their care.”

Balfour Beatty’s partners for the scheme are Royal Bank of Scotland and HSBC. The £553 million project will be built by a construction joint venture comprising Balfour Beatty Construction and Haden Young, the building services arm of the Balfour Beatty Group. Facilities management will be provided by Haden Building Management. BDP is responsible for the design of the site and the acute teaching hospital on the Queen Elizabeth site for the University Hospital Birmingham Trust. Nightingale Associates working with BDP is the architect for the mental health units.