Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust has initiated a public consultation for the comprehensive redevelopment of St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London. This move comes as the hospital grapples with significant structural challenges across its historic estate, including the impending closure of its main outpatient building due to safety concerns.
Historic Hospital Faces Modern Challenges
St Mary's Hospital, where Sir Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928, contains buildings dating back to 1845, making them nearly a century older than the NHS itself. The aging infrastructure has led to persistent maintenance issues, with the Trust reportedly spending millions annually on basic repairs. Recent inspections revealed reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in the main outpatient building, forcing its closure from the end of March, and "significant issues" in the foundations of the Mint building, the oldest part of the estate still used for clinical services.
Ambitious Redevelopment Timeline
The Trust aims to submit a planning application by spring 2027, with the goal of delivering a new hospital by 2035. This timeline would be eight years earlier than the Government's New Hospital Programme schedule, which placed Imperial's hospitals in its final tranche despite having the largest maintenance backlog among UK Trusts. The redevelopment plans envision a taller hospital on a smaller footprint, freeing up land that could potentially expand Paddington Life Sciences, a cluster integrating clinicians, researchers, and communities.
Consultation Details and Community Involvement
Matthew Tulley, Redevelopment Director at Imperial, emphasized the importance of public input, stating, "We want as many patients, staff and local people as possible to help shape our masterplan." The online consultation remains open until March 20, with three in-person pop-up events scheduled:
- February 28, 10am to 2pm, at The Bays Building, South Wharf Road, London W2 1NY
- March 3, 11am to 3pm, at Church Street Market, Church Street, London NW8 8DT
- March 4, 11am to 3pm, at Ground floor, QEQM Building, South Wharf Road, St Mary's Hospital, London W2 1NY
The Trust is exploring additional funding sources to accelerate the project, acknowledging that the current state of disrepair makes it impossible to keep pace with deterioration through maintenance alone. This consultation marks a critical step toward addressing decades of stalled progress and delivering a modern healthcare facility for Paddington.
