The Luton & Dunstable Emergency Department, delivered by Willmott Dixon for Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust at the end of 2024, showcases how community infrastructure projects can create a lasting positive legacy.
By investing in the local economy, creating employment opportunities and supporting disadvantaged groups, construction projects can make a difference to people’s lives that extends far beyond their primary purpose.
As a result of social value activities delivered alongside Luton & Dunstable Emergency Department the project achieved a social return on investment of £20.2 million.
Economic impact
The project team prioritised local procurement, ensuring £16.3 million was spent locally, including over £400,000 with suppliers based in Luton.
Over 43% of the supply chain were small or medium enterprises—vital to driving regional economic growth.
The construction project prioritised local employment, with 78% of the workforce coming from within a 40-mile radius, with 17% based just 10 miles from site.
Skills and employment
Across the programme, apprenticeships and training played a central role—supporting 55 weeks of trade and management apprenticeships were supported on site, enabling multiple NVQ qualifications, including Level 7 in Construction Operations.
Work experience also opened doors for local people—from school students to Building Lives Academy graduates—while engagement with Luton 6th Form College and the University of Bedfordshire helped create learning opportunities for the next generation of industry professionals.
We helped deliver included employer engagement sessions for 20 learners participating in their "Preparation for Work in the Construction Industry" programme, with work experience opportunities provided to those who needed and wanted them with one placement resulting in permanent employment.
Collaborations with organisations like Inside Connections and Job Centre Plus gave those facing barriers to employment a pathway into construction. One care leaver with a criminal record progressed from part-time welfare operative to full-time team member and worked on site for six months.
Our partnership with The Prince’s Trust delivered two ‘Get into Construction’ programmes. These three-week courses provided relevant knowledge, skills, experience, and qualifications. As a result, 19 young people gained health and safety qualifications, 15 obtained CSCS cards and 12 progressed into jobs or apprenticeships.
Anna Crump, Operations Executive at The Prince's Trust, said:
"Thank you so much to everybody at Willmott Dixon for providing the venue and for the support that they gave to the young people on these programmes. I know that everyone who participated really benefited, and you all had such a positive and profound impact upon them."
Community partnerships
Beyond the hospital’s walls, the team improved vital support facilities. A garden serving families at the neonatal unit received a makeover to provide a quiet retreat, driven in part by personal experience from within the project team.
Our team also supported Luton Foodbank with property advice and food donations, helped deliver 80 Christmas gifts for hospitalised children, and engaged with local health initiatives that extended the project’s positive impact into the wider community.
Environmental education
The project’s environmental outreach included a hands-on biodiversity education programme with Stopsley Primary School. Children built bug hotels, learned about pollinators, and engaged with nature—helping inspire sustainable thinking at an early age. The team donated materials and 30 hours of volunteer time to support the effort.
The Luton & Dunstable Emergency Department project exemplifies how construction projects can serve as catalysts for broader social and economic transformation.
Through every phase, the Luton & Dunstable Emergency Department project shows that delivering vital infrastructure doesn’t mean choosing between quality and community. By embedding social value into delivery, the team created meaningful change—from education and employment to environment and wellbeing – helping to build not just buildings, but better futures.
