Royal Opening For Hospital
1 March 2010
A Royal visit marked the formal opening of the Costain-built New
Johnson Community Hospital in Spalding, Lincolnshire.
The Princess Royal performed the honours for what Steve
Merrin, Costain Project Manager, describes as a "well over
due" facility for the area. It replaces the original Johnson
Hospital as well as the Welland and Holland Hospitals.
The new 8500m² hospital, set over two storeys, gives The Fens
town and the surrounding area a comprehensive range of medical
facilities, including a 32-bed in-patient ward, child, adolescent
and adult mental health units, x-ray department phlebotomy,
consulting / examination rooms, ambulance station and
administrative spaces.
In a pleasant departure from the norm, the site was not the
usual, tightly-constricted patch of ground. "It's a 10-acre
greenfield site on the outskirts of Spalding," says Steve. "It's a
nice plot, with plenty of parking space and reasonable access all
round."
Of course, with a semi-rural setting, you would expect to have
some rare species making an appearance, and you'd be right. Voles
had to be carefully cleared from inland drainage ditches that ran
along two sides of the site.
Apart from that, however, says Steve, the job was relatively
straightforward. The reinforced concrete and steel-framed building
with a variety of claddings to give visual appeal went up on
schedule in the 95-week, £24million project.
Initial opposition to the use of a greenfield site diminished as
the team involved local people in several users' groups. "It has
been an incredibly rewarding and enjoyable project to be involved
in," said Steve.
Pictured: HRH Princess Royal (left) and Steve Merrin,
Costain Project Manager at the opening of Johnson Community
Hospital, Spalding.
Photography: Veena Cornish www.veenacornish.co.uk
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