Emergency Care Building, Derriford Hospital
The first Wave 1 scheme in the New Hospital Programme to begin main construction
Willmott Dixon has topped out the £140m Emergency Care Building at Derriford Hospital, marking structural completion of the first Wave 1 scheme in the New Hospital Programme to begin main construction.
Reaching this stage has taken 10,900 cubic metres of concrete and 1,900 tonnes of recycled steel reinforcement. The frame was designed to cut embodied carbon from the outset: by replacing 55% of the cement content with ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS), a by-product of iron and steel production, the concrete used to date has saved an estimated 1,625 tonnes of carbon.
Representatives from University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP), Willmott Dixon, the design team, supply chain partners and hospital staff gathered at Derriford for the traditional topping out ceremony, marking the completion of the building’s main structural framework and the move into the next phase of construction.
Due for completion in April 2029, the building will provide four clinical floors of modern, purpose-built accommodation for urgent and emergency care across Plymouth, South Devon and Cornwall. The ground floor will house an expanded Emergency Department, with the existing department reconfigured as a dedicated Paediatric ED on completion. A Same Day Emergency Care unit sits on the first floor, with four interventional radiology theatres and five new surgical theatres for both emergency and planned procedures above. Together the facilities will provide close to twice the capacity of the current 50-year-old Emergency Department, one of the busiest in the South West.
The scheme is procured under ProCure23, and is one of the first New Hospital Programme schemes designed to meet the NHS Net Zero Building Standard.
Stephen Ford, project director at Willmott Dixon, said:
“Reaching this topping out milestone is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the truly collaborative approach that has defined this project from the very beginning.
“Working alongside University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, our supply chain partners and specialist consultants, we have focused on creating more than just a building. The commitment, resilience and teamwork shown by everyone involved has been exceptional. We are excited to be playing our part in delivering a hospital that will serve the people of Plymouth and the wider Devon and Cornwall region, and one that every member of the project team can be proud of.”
Stuart Windsor, Future Hospital Programme Director at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, said:
“The topping out of the Emergency Care Building marks a significant milestone for the programme and for the future of healthcare in Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall. When it opens, this new building will transform the way in which emergency care is provided. It will give our clinical teams the space and state-of-the-art equipment to provide excellent care and give our patients a facility that we can all be proud of. While there is still much to do before completion in 2029, today is an opportunity to celebrate how far we have come.”
Karin Smyth, Minister of State for Health, said:
“This milestone at Derriford Hospital shows the New Hospital Programme making visible progress for local communities, as work continues on a new Emergency Care Building that will support faster access to urgent and emergency care for patients across the South West.”
Building low carbon
Cutting embodied carbon in the frame has been a design priority from the earliest stages. GGBS replaces a substantial proportion of the cement in each mix, and cement production is the single largest source of carbon in a concrete structure. Combined with high recycled-content reinforcement, the approach has reduced the carbon cost of the structure without changing the programme.
Lasting local impact
Willmott Dixon and its supply chain partners are creating employment and training opportunities for local people throughout construction, including apprenticeship weeks for young people and employment support for those furthest from the job market through the company’s Building Lives Academy. Working with local suppliers keeps investment within the South West economy.
Healthcare expertise
Willmott Dixon has delivered more than 100 healthcare projects across the NHS estate, spanning acute, mental health, community and neighbourhood settings, with most delivered within live clinical environments.
In March 2026 the company was appointed as one of ten construction partners to the Hospital 2.0 Alliance, the delivery vehicle for the New Hospital Programme, and in July 2026 was named construction partner for the new Women and Children’s Hospital at the Royal Cornwall Hospital site in Truro.