Premier Modular, a leading UK offsite specialist, has been awarded a £21 m contract to construct a new outpatient services building at King’s College Hospital in London.
The 3,450 m2, four-storey scheme is Premier’s largest single healthcare project in its 65-year history. Constructed offsite, the building will allow the Trust to free up space within the main hospital to help reduce waiting times and improve the patient experience for urgent care services.
As main contractor, Premier will lead a project team which includes delivery partner, Claritas, P+HS Architects, and M&E specialists, TClarke. Awarded under the Crown Commercial Service modular buildings framework, the contract follows the team’s successful delivery of a £10 m contract for the offsite construction of a 62-bed Priority Assessment Unit at St Peter’s Hospital, Chertsey.
The new King’s College Hospital outpatient services building will provide 48 purpose-designed consultation rooms and eight procedure rooms for a range of services – including dermatology, rheumatology, respiratory, neurosciences, pain management, and urology, plus other aspects of surgery and therapies. Dan Allison, divisional director at Premier Modular, said: “The use of an offsite solution for this project will ensure faster delivery and earlier occupation. Offsite construction is safer, quieter, and cleaner than in-situ construction, and will radically reduce disruption during the build phase to staff and patients, as well as the surrounding residential community. This type of building solution is also enormously beneficial on restricted hospital sites such as this, reducing the amount of plant, materials, and vehicle movements to site. The new building has access roads to three sides, and is immediately adjacent to the Normanby Building.
He continued: “We are working to a short programme to bring these state-of-the art facilities into use as early as possible this year, to the benefit of patients, and to assist with the rising demand for hospital services.”
Stephen Hatcher, associate at P+HS Architects, said, “The building is designed to minimise the impact on the environment over its life, and is targeting a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. It will have areas of green roof, a highly insulated building fabric to reduce heat loss and running costs, energy-efficient ventilation, an electric air source heat pump system for heating, and solar panels for electricity generation.”
The ‘contemporary’ façade design was informed by existing buildings on the hospital campus. A double-height feature entrance will provide visibility externally, and allow high levels of natural light for the reception and waiting area.
Premier Modular added: “Developed with clinicians and patient representatives, the interior design will be crisp and modern, while assisting patients with sensory needs. To maintain patient flows, the new facility will be linked to the Normanby Building at ground floor level.”
Premier Modular is providing a full turnkey construction package, including engagement with the clinical team at the design stages, development of ‘a highly sustainable’ M&E strategy, demolition of an existing building, groundworks, offsite manufacture, module installation, and fit-out
