Milestone reached for £28m Wirral hospital unit

Tilbury Douglas is handing over the latest phase of Arrowe Park Hospital’s urgent and emergency care facility, which features an advanced resuscitation area.

The construction firm has also been appointed to build the Rochdale SEN unit for the department of education.

Here is what the firm has been working on:

Arrowe Park Hospital

The £28m Wirral University Teaching Hospital urgent and emergency care project has reached a key stage as the first clinical section has opened.

Located near the ambulance entrance for rapid patient transfer, the resuscitation area includes eight specialised rooms to meet both patient and clinical needs.

A staff floor has also been built, providing urgent and emergency care teams with a dedicated entrance, workspace, and wellbeing area.

This development is the largest undertaken at Arrowe Park since the hospital was built in 1982. Clinical staff have been closely involved in shaping the facility and there is ongoing consultation with the public throughout the work.

Martin Horne, Divisional Director – North West at Tilbury Douglas, said: “Being involved in this significant investment is an honour for our team.

“They have pioneered innovative healthcare initiatives through partnerships with Cradle, supporting those affected by pregnancy loss, and DKMS, a cancer charity.

“In a remarkable collaboration, the team has hosted large-scale stem cell swabbing events, uniting hospital staff, patients, and visitors to find matches for blood cancer patients.”

According to Tilbury Douglas, the design of the building has maximised natural light, minimises energy consumption, and optimises thermal comfort to meet BREEAM standards.

Phil Shaw, managing director – Building North at Tilbury Douglas, added: “This transformative project will deliver Wirral’s only emergency department, greatly enhancing urgent care for our community.

“We are pleased to hand over this phase, a testament to the teamwork and shared commitment to providing the best possible patient care.”

Dar Architectural and Eden Planning feature on the project team.

Heywood Academy

Ellis Williams Architects has designed the two-storey 24,000 sq ft building off West Starkey Street, which will be operated by the New Bridge Multi Academy Trust.

Tilbury Douglas is on construction of the building for the trust which caters to 76 pupils aged 11-19 with special educational needs.

The ground floor will feature a main hall, dining room, and offices. There will also be two sensory rooms, five classrooms, and a food science lab. On the first floor, older pupils will find seven classrooms, a library, and a common room.

Tilbury Douglas is on the construction of the Heywood Academy building. Credit: Tilbury Douglas

A multi-use games area, habitat area, and forest school are also planned, with orchard trees, wildflower grasses, and timber growing boxes to provide landscaping.

Construction will involve sustainable practices and the use of renewable energy sources to ensure it achieves net zero carbon neutral status.

Martin Horne, divisional director – North West at Tilbury Douglas, said: “We look forward to working with project stakeholders to ensure the new building is delivered to the highest quality to enable the academy trust to offer first-class educational facilities to students with SEN in Rochdale.”

Phil Shaw, managing director – Building North at Tilbury Douglas, added: “Working simultaneously on so many projects across the region provides us with a unique opportunity to make a real difference to the region’s educational offering and the local communities.”

Iceni Projects, AJP, Hydrock, E3P, Mott McDonald, and Kennedy Redford are also on the project team

To learn more about the development, search for application number 23/00852/PSID on Rochdale Council’s planning portal.