Famous children’s hospital Alder Hey is entering a new era, with the start of building works on its stunning new facility.
Work began to clear the site in February, and following financial close last week, the green light has now been given to start construction on the new ‘Alder Hey in the Park’.
Chair of Alder Hey Sir David Henshaw said: “This is a hugely significant moment in Alder Hey’s history. It is an incredible moment for everyone who has been involved in ensuring that after 100 years, Alder Hey has a long and exciting future ahead. Our iconic new building will be a fantastic facility for our patients, families and staff while providing us with the perfect platform for one of the leading children’s hospitals in the world.”
To mark the memorable occasion, patients, families, staff, well-wishers and dignitaries attended a special groundbreaking ceremony on Springfield Park .
Built by the Acorn consortium (comprising John Laing, Laing O’Rourke and Interserve) the new Alder Hey is set to stand next door to the current site on Springfield Park. The new hospital will have a floor area of 60,000m2 and will have 270 beds, including 48 critical care beds for patients in ICU, HDU and Burns. There will be six standard wards with 32 beds. Each ward will have two four bed bays and 24 single rooms on each ward. That means the majority of children will have their own room with en-suite facilities, improving patient and family privacy and dignity.
The unique design will also ensure that the majority of bedrooms have park views and patients will have easy access to play areas on and outside their ward. There will also be 16 operating theatres, four for day-case surgery and 12 inpatient theatres. The new development will also include a multi-storey car park with 1200 spaces, 200 more than the current site. The official opening of the new hospital is planned for Autumn 2015.
The new hospital will sit in the heart of Springfield Park, creating views of green space or parkland from every patient’s window. Once the new hospital is built, the old one will be demolished and the site landscaped and developed to create a new park.
Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said: “We have long looked forward to the development of this world class, 21st century hospital, and it’s fantastic that we can all now see the plans becoming a reality.
“The new Alder Hey will place our city at the forefront of the treatment of young people, providing the very best care for children and their families, within a beautiful green setting. I’m now looking forward to work progressing quickly, so this wonderful hospital can begin a new chapter in its history.”
Olympic gymnast and hospital patron, Beth Tweddle started a clock inside the current hospital, counting down to the completion of Alder Hey in the Park in 2015.
Children and young people have played a key part throughout the project; 900 children gave their feedback on the new hospital in a consultation and the inspiration for the new building first came from a drawing by a former patient. A Children and Young People’s Design Group have also provided ongoing guidance and feedback to the architects throughout the process.
Louise Shepherd, Chief Executive of Alder Hey said: “The ambitious vision for a new Alder Hey began over a decade ago. The official start of work marks a massive achievement that is testimony to the hard work, perseverance and dedication of many people involved during that time. On behalf of everyone at Alder Hey, I would like to thank all those who have helped make this day possible. We can now all look forward to an exciting future!”
