South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust (SWLSTG) has secured government approval to start work on its two ‘new state-of-the-art facilities’ for south-west Londoners.
The ‘multi-million-pound’ development will see the construction of two new mental health facilities set to open in 2022 on the Trust’s largest site in Tooting. The facilities will include eight new inpatient wards, which will be further boosted by the modernisation of the Trust’s community services. SWLSTG has already started construction work on the programme – which will include new housing and a 32-acre public park (the first of its kind since the 2012 London Olympics).
The Trust has now formally signed contracts for the delivery of the Springfield University Hospital development with Springfield and Tolworth Estate Partnership (STEP), a 50/50 partnership between Sir Robert McAlpine Capital Ventures and Kajima Partnerships. STEP will act as master developer for the site, with Sir Robert McAlpine as main contractor for the new mental health units and the park, surrounding public realm, and infrastructure.
SWLSTG says ‘this huge milestone’ in the Trust’s Estate Modernisation Programme ‘marks a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the way the SWLSTG delivers mental health services for 1.1 m south-west Londoners’.
The Trust adds that the plans, now formally approved, ‘will bring forward a range of benefits to the people who use the Trust’s services, their carers and the local community’, including:
- ‘World-class mental health facilities: delivering the best care for patients’.
- 839 new homes.
- A 32-acre public park, including a gym and play areas for the local community.
- Community shops and a café.
- Extensive community healthcare: treating people closer to their families and their home.
- District heating system and centralised energy centre – providing efficient heating and reducing carbon emissions.
- Land to be made available for a new school
- Over £5 mi for new transport facilities, ‘boosting transport links for local residents’
The Trust received government approval for its Full Business Case for the development following extensive engagement with the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS Improvement, NHS England, and Her Majesty’s Treasury.
Ann Beasley CBE, Chair of South West London and St. George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, said: “This is the biggest landmark yet in our Estate Modernisation Programme, and we are extremely proud of getting permission to go ahead and being able to start work on these brand-new, first-class inpatient facilities.
“This new environment will make a huge difference to our patients and the way we provide the best quality care towards their recovery. It is incredibly important to us that we provide patients with the best environment and services possible, and we are pleased to have done this primarily through raising our own funds. Furthermore, this work will ensure that the Springfield University Hospital site is regenerated in a way which reduces the stigma of mental health conditions by integrating our organisation with our community.”
Vanessa Ford, the Trust’s Acting CEO, added: “We have been developing the plans for our new mental health inpatient wards for many years, and we are delighted to have received government approval, meaning we can begin construction. As well as good news for patients, the new hospital facilities will be good news for the environment, with much more efficient use of energy and working towards a carbon neutral footprint”