Plans in for £30m North East cancer hub
Robertson is the main contractor on the Sir Bobby Robson Institute treatment and research centre, which will be located at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital.
Robertson North East secured the contract via the ProCure23 framework in January and since then has been working alongside Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust providing pre-construction and design services.
P+HS Architects led on the design, which was inspired by the molecular structure of a hexagon – a key feature of Rubraca, the first ‘Geordie cancer drug’.
The rest of the project team includes Pegasus, One-Environments, Shed, WG Consulting, and Turner & Townsend.
If planning permission is granted, construction is scheduled to begin in spring next year, with opening planned for 2028.
Construction will be funded by The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, part of Newcastle Hospitals Charity, with the Trust overseeing its operation.
£20m has already been raised by the foundation to fund the project, with a campaign underway to raise the final £10m.
The hope is the centre will pioneer ground-breaking research in cancer treatment and significantly increase the number of clinical trials available for patients across the North East, north Cumbria and North Yorkshire.
The institute will combine the existing Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre and the hospital’s cancer and blood disorders research teams, providing a dedicated, three-storey building equipped with the latest technology.
Neil Kennedy, regional managing director, Robertson Construction North East, commented: “This milestone marks the next step in delivering a facility that will have a profound impact on cancer treatment and research across both the North East and globally.
“Our team has been supporting the Trust with pre-construction and design to make sure it is ready to move seamlessly into delivery if approved.
“Having already delivered a number of high-quality projects with the Trust, we have seen the positive impact they bring, and I’m confident this proposed project will also make a real difference for patients, staff and the wider community.”
