Henry Brothers Commences Construction On New Belper Health Centre

Contractor Henry Brothers Construction and Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust have held a turf-cutting ceremony to mark the start of construction on the new Belper health centre.

The event marks a key stage in the development of the new £15m hub for community health services in the Derbyshire town.

It was attended by representatives from Henry Brothers and the Trust, including Trust chief executive Tracy Allen, who carried out the honours. She said: "Back in 2017 we first started talking publicly about the need for new community health facilities for Belper and it’s been a long and eventful seven years to reach this point, involving several changes of plan and a pandemic which put everything on hold. So, to be able to put the first ceremonial spade in the ground to start construction is a really fantastic moment. It’s a tribute to the many people who have helped us reach this point. I can’t wait to see the architect’s plans come off the page as the building takes shape and becomes a purpose-designed environment for local people to receive a range of community health services for years to come."


The new facilities, designed with high environmental standards for long-term sustainability, are being constructed on the site of the former Belper Clinic, part of the Babington Hospital site on Derby Road, Belper.

Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust has commissioned Midlands-based contractor Henry Brothers to complete the new building over a planned 66-week construction phase. The project is being delivered through the Pagabo Major Works Framework.

John Sowter, design and planning director at Henry Brothers Construction, said: "We are very pleased to have started work on site, marking a key milestone in the mission to provide new, state-of-the-art community health services in Belper.

"It was an honour to host members of the Trust who have been pivotal in developing this scheme to an official turf-cutting ceremony and we are looking forward to delivering these new NHS facilities for the community of Belper."

The new health centre will incorporate environmentally sustainable features, including photovoltaic panels on the roof to harness solar energy, and a commitment to use local and recycled materials from demolished buildings where possible, as well as timber from certified sources. It is being constructed to BREEAM Excellent standards to ensure long-term sustainability. The health hub will offer 15 consulting rooms, six treatment rooms, a health education group room, and other facilities, providing a range of services such as community nursing, midwifery clinics, podiatry services, speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, continence advisory services, wound care and phlebotomy.

Designed by architects Race Cottam Associates, it will accommodate all existing outpatient and clinical services provided at Babington Hospital. Other members of the construction team alongside Henry Brothers include project manager Capita, civil and structural engineer Eastwood Consulting Engineers, and mechanical and electrical engineers EP Consulting.