Willmott Dixon has started a £30 m regeneration programme at Barnes Hospital, recently joining patients, carers, NHS staff, teachers, and local leaders across health and education, in marking the commencement of works to develop an NHS mental health facility and a new Special Educational Needs (SEN) school there.
The ‘major investment’ in health and educational provision across the borough has been made possible by funding from South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust and LocatED, an arms-length body of the Department for Education.
Reflecting on the project’s importance, Richard Poulter, Willmott Dixon’s MD in the South, said: "We are excited to have been chosen to deliver this vital project, procured via the Southern Construction Framework (SCF), that will deliver modern centres of excellence for mental health and education. This will see sustainable, inclusive, and high-quality spaces created that will help shape a healthier future for people living in Barnes.”
Trust CEO, Vanessa Ford, added: “This marks the next step in our journey to deliver modern, community-facing mental healthcare for the people of Richmond. We want to create inclusive new spaces to deliver better environments and better care for our patients, now and in the future.
“Our Better Communities programme is driving important changes across our estate, and we’re excited to see construction begin here at Barnes as we strive to create environments that improve patient experience, reduce mental health stigma, and bring care closer to home.”
The new NHS facility will accommodate a range of community mental health services, which relocated from Barnes to the Trust’s Livingston House facility in Teddington in 2023. When Barnes reopens in 2027, the Trust’s expanded community services will continue to operate from both sites.
The school – the London River Academy, will provide 90 places for children with social and emotional mental health (SEMH) needs, and will be operated by the Beckmead Trust.
James Wright, head of SCF (South East and London) said: “We’re delighted to have supported the procurement of Barnes Hospital regeneration, which will provide vital support for mental health and special educational needs in the community. Projects like this are especially significant for us as a framework, as they reflect the high-impact, community-focused projects we are committed to supporting. The collaboration shown by all teams involved has been outstanding.”
Patient advocate Kathy Sheldon, Chair of the Friends of Barnes Hospital, said: “We have really enjoyed being part of co-designing the new Barnes over a number of years, and look forward to continuing to support the Trust in the final stages of this. Replacing Victorian-era buildings with this modern, purpose-built facility will mean so much to the patients, carers, and staff that we support. The Friends have been an integral part of Barnes Hospital for decades, and we look forward to engaging with the new community here as it comes to life.”
Barnes’ redevelopment has been informed by consultations with staff, patients, and the wider community over several years, with a residential development led by LS Estates also due to come forward on the remaining part of the site. The ‘transformation’ is part of a major programme of rebuilding mental health facilities across South West London, that started with the £150 m redevelopment of Springfield University Hospital in Wandsworth in 2022/23, and will be followed by the opening of the new Richmond Royal Wellbeing Centre this summer and the opening of Barnes Hospital in 2027. The programme will conclude with the £110 m redevelopment of Tolworth Hospital in Kingston, due to be delivered in 2028.
