Laing O’Rourke wins £700m Airdrie hospital deal

NHS Lanarkshire is seeking to have Scotland’s first fully digital and net zero carbon hospital through the Monklands Replacement Project (MRP).

The construction cost has been estimated at £700m. The total project cost will be determined at the full business case stage next year following completion of planning permission and detailed design.

Laing O’Rourke has signed a pre-construction services agreement (PCSA), joining the team to help progress the project from concept stage through delivery to opening. First tasks are to finalise the design, construction methodology, cost and programme.

The outline business case for the new hospital was approved by the Scottish government on 3rd July 2023 and a full planning application for Monklands Replacement Programme has been submitted to North Lanarkshire Council.

Colin Lauder, NHS Lanarkshire director of planning, property and performance, said: “We are excited to take another significant step forward for the project by appointing Laing O’Rourke. It moves us closer to delivering what will be the most advanced hospital in Scotland. We have chosen a construction partner with a wealth of experience in the healthcare sector.”

Project director Graeme Reid added: “The new facility will be located on a site at Wester Moffat, east of Airdrie, and will provide our clinical staff a new truly modern working environment to help them deliver the best possible care to patients. It will also create economic benefits for the local community and for companies across Lanarkshire and Scotland.”

Laing O’Rourke, which has extensive experience of delivering world-class healthcare facilities, will now support the health board in progressing from outline plans to a full business case. The constructor’s specialist healthcare delivery team will join the wider MRP team and work closely with patient groups and clinical

Laing O’Rourke healthcare sector leader Rory Pollock said: “Early engagement like this, including input to the final design, will enable us to fully harness the value our manufacturing-led operating model brings, providing greater programme, quality and cost certainty to the benefit of NHS Lanarkshire. We will also draw on our experience from other projects to deliver lasting social value. Our project team will work with local schools, colleges and businesses to create education, training and employment opportunities.”

Laing O’Rourke has built 18 hospitals since 2010, and most recently has delivered the Louisa Martindale Building in Brighton, the new Royal Liverpool University Hospital (completing what Carillion started), the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, also in Liverpool, and the Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran. It also built Dumfries & Galloway Royal Infirmary.

Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk