Robertson Construction North East is supporting Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust through the planning process for the Sir Bobby Robson Institute at Newcastle鈥檚 Freeman Hospital.
Construction is on course to start next spring subject to planning permission.
The planned building, named after the late professional football player and manager who died of lung cancer in 2009, is expected to pioneer innovation in cancer treatment and increase the number of clinical trials available for patients across the region.
Construction of the new institute will be funded by The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, part of Newcastle Hospitals Charity, with the trust overseeing its operation.
Main contractor Robertson Construction North East was appointed through the ProCure23 framework and has been working with project partners since January, providing pre-construction and design services from RIBA Stage 1 through to Stage 4 of technical design to help bring the institute to life.
Working alongside P+HS Architects, Robertson has supported the trust and the charity in developing a design inspired by the molecular structure of a hexagon 鈥� a key feature of Rubraca, the first 鈥楪eordie cancer drug鈥�.
The new institute would bring together the current Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre and the hospital鈥檚 cancer and blood disorders research teams, providing a dedicated, three-storey building equipped with the latest technology. This would allow for a 50% increase in clinical research activity over five years, helping specialist cancer research teams deliver more complex and larger trials, with benefits for patients across the region and potentially worldwide.
Neil Kennedy, regional managing director at Robertson Construction North East, said: 鈥淥ur 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鈥檓 confident this proposed project will also make a real difference for patients, staff and the wider community.鈥�
The Sir Bobby Robson Foundationhas already raised 拢20m and a new fundraising campaign is set to launch to secure the final 拢10m. If planning permission is granted, construction is scheduled to begin in spring next year, with opening planned for 2028.
Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk
