Bouygues UK has won a £300m contract to build Oriel, a new eye care, research and education centre in Camden.
The centre is part of the New Hospital Programme, the government plan to deliver 48 new hospitals by 2030, and will be built on two acres of the five-acre St Pancras Hospital site.
Demolition of six buildings currently on the Oriel site will now begin at the end of February and construction of the 10-storey, 47,000 sq.metre centre will start later in 2023.
Preparation work started on the site in autumn last year under an early works agreement with Bouygues UK and they have now developed a full construction programme with the building due to open in 2027.
Oriel is a joint initiative between Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Charity.
Martin Kuper, Moorfields chief executive, said: “These latest developments move us firmly into the construction stage of the project. Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard to get us to this stage. We are excited to be working with Bouygues UK to build our state-of-the-art centre which will support our reputation for excellence and our ability to deliver outstanding care for our patients.”
Fabienne Viala, chair of Bouygues Construction in the United Kingdom, said: “To be partnering on this world-leading centre in eye care, research and education is an incredibly exciting opportunity for Bouygues UK.
“We are so proud to be the leading contractor for this innovative building which will be an exemplar for accessibility, tailored to the needs of its patients, and designed flexibly to meet their future needs.
“As with all our projects, social value will be key for us and we are looking forward to working with the Oriel partners, Camden Council and the Knowledge Quarter to unlock training and employment opportunities for local people to create a lasting legacy in the community.”
The new centre will be located in the heart of the Knowledge Quarter, an internationally renowned hub for science and innovation.
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