Works are underway at Fulbourn Hospital in Cambridge as Morgan Sindall Construction transforms a disused modular structure into a new £5.8m resource centre. 

The scheme, which is being delivered for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, will see the conversion of the old modular building into a new-state-of-the-art, two-storey comprehensive resource centre, with a gym, café and offices, as well as space for dance, art, performance, and leisure.  

The units were previously used as the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) building at another healthcare facility and once the extensive renovation is complete, will replace the current resource centre, which is no longer fit for purpose.  

By recycling the modular units, the team will be able to utilise the current steel structure of the building, cutting build time significantly.

This method will also divert a significant amount of waste from landfill and cut CO₂ emissions, making it a more-sustainable alternative to manufacturing a new structure.  

Minimising disruption

Due to the nature of the live site, the team is refurbishing the units offsite, resulting in minimal disruption to Fulbourn Hospital and its users. 

Jamie Shearman, area director for Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “We are delighted to be delivering this incredibly-important scheme for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.

“The resource centre will not only act as a gateway to the hospital, but it will also provide a much-needed activities and leisure hub, which is crucial to patients and carers.”

He added: “This project is a great example of our ‘Intelligent Solutions’ approach, as we’ve been constantly thinking of innovative and creative ways to deliver as much value for the hospital as possible.

“For example, not only have we reduced the project’s timescale and made it more efficient by recycling the modular units, but we’ve employed offsite techniques to avoid disturbing the site’s daily operations.  

Continuing a legacy

“Our work at Fulbourn Hospital also aligns with our commitment to championing sustainability and we look forward to continuing our legacy of providing first-class healthcare facilities while being able to support more-environmentally-sound construction methods.” 

Alison Manton, associate director of estates at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, added: “This is a really-exciting project which will benefit patients, service users, carers, visitors, and staff at our Fulbourn Hospital site. 

“The new resource centre will be a modern facility, but one that meets our ambitions to use sustainable alternatives when making changes and improvements to our estate. 

“Working with Morgan Sindall Construction has proved a successful partnership and we are really looking forward to opening the new centre.” 

The offsite solutions and other efficient methods being employed on the project means that work on the new resource centre is scheduled to be complete by early December.