Work halts on Berwick Hospital as contractor goes into administration
Merit Health filed on 15 October and construction on the scheme has now stopped, months before the project was due to complete.
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust received planning approval for the project in 2020, with Merit starting construction in 2023.
The project team includes P+HS Architects, planning consultants Lichfields, and project management from Turner & Townsend.
The facility was being delivered using Merit’s MMC off-site construction system, featuring pre-assembled modules and ‘UltraPODs for integrated services.
The Cramlington-based firm employs about 300 people.
Speaking at Tuesday’s meeting of Northumberland County Council’s Health and Wellbeing scrutiny committee, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust confirmed it would most likely need to appoint a new contractor to complete the project.
Damon Kent, managing director of Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management, said: “Our development partner Merit is in some financial difficulty…
“There’s a few things that we can’t talk about because there are processes there, but they are in that financial predicament.
“We are discussing with them to try and find a solution, but we have a contingency plan should we need to in terms of alternative means to finishing the hospital.
“It is tricky. There’s some really good people in the Berwick team and are thoughts are with them – they have done a great job so far.
“Whether it is with or without Merit, the hospital will be built in accordance with the original plans.”
