Kier has been awarded a contract by Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust to deliver a new £17m mental health facility at 1 Lowther Road in Islington, London.
Appointed through the Procure Partnerships Framework, the project forms the first integrated community mental health facility in the Trust’s St Pancras Transformation programme.
Works include the demolition of the existing facility on site and construction of a new four-storey building which will include state-of-the-art facilities. The new space will provide interview, counselling and treatment rooms, and agile workspace for staff as well as a café and group collaboration zones. There will also be a ‘pocket’ park to support visitor and staff wellbeing.
With the project set to achieve BREEAM excellent standards, the environmental efficiency is a key focus of this scheme. Key features include curtain walling with bolt on solar shading to prevent heat gain and reduce the demand on mechanical ventilation systems. There will also be 70m² of solar panels on the roof of the building to support renewable energy being used when the building is operational.
Located in the heart of Islington, this project requires close consultation and collaboration with the Trust, Islington Council and local neighbours. Kier will work closely with the community on this project to inform them on progress being made as well as providing apprenticeships and work experience opportunities on site and working with local suppliers.
David McKenzie, managing director for Kier Construction London, South & Strategic Projects, said: “We’re proud to be working with Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust to deliver this vitally important mental health facility that will provide state-of-the-art facilities for patients and staff.
“We’ll utilise our extensive experience of delivering healthcare schemes in London to deliver this new building. We understand the importance of community collaboration, local residents will be kept up-to-date with the progress we are making and a range of job and training opportunities will be offered on this project.”
Dr Vincent Kirchner, Chief Medical Officer at Camden and Islington NHS Trust, said: “Improving the quality of our community facilities is a crucial part of our plans to help people with mental health problems to live well in their communities. The redevelopment of Lowther Road is an exciting opportunity. It will create a modern, welcoming space that will allow us to offer integrated services that address both mental health and physical health. Importantly it will also provide an enhanced working environment for our clinical teams.”
This contract award reinforces Kier’s position as a leading provider of healthcare facilities on behalf of NHS Trusts, having completed the £98m transformation programme at Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot and the £28.5m new imaging centre at Royal Brompton Hospital in Chelsea.
