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DRONE FOOTAGE AND TIMELAPSE SHOW CONSTRUCTION OF FIRST NHS NATIONAL REHABILITATION CENTRE CONTINUES AT PACE
Newly-released drone footage , images and timelapse show progress of National Rehabilitation Centre ( NRC ) due to open in 2025 .
Construction of the first NHS National Rehabilitation Centre – a 70-bed purpose-built facility near Loughborough – continues to progress , with the concrete frame of the building almost complete .
The £ 105million NRC project aims to transform rehabilitation care , research , and training in the UK , and is due to open to patients next year .
This specialist facility combines NHS care with research and innovation from our two academic partners – the University of Nottingham and Loughborough University – and is part of the Government ’ s New Hospital Programme .
The Stanford Hall Rehabilitation Estate near Loughborough , already home to the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre which opened in 2018 , was carefully selected as the site for the NRC to bring together these two centres of excellence and drive rehabilitation standards both nationally and internationally .
The construction is being carried out by IHP , a joint venture between VINCI Building and Sir Robert McAlpine .
Ryan McCormack , Project Director for the Construction for the NRC programme , explained that an impressive amount of progress had been made in first six months of the build .
He said : “ A huge amount of work over recent years has gone into the design , development and construction of the NRC , and the difference between where we were in September when we had just started the build , and where we are today is exciting . Our vision of the NRC is really taking shape .
“ The build hasn ’ t been without its challenges – it ’ s always difficult trying to continue construction throughout the winter months .
“ Inclement weather has impacted work due to high winds , excessive rain , and freezing temperatures , resulting in the rescheduling of concrete pours and preventing the use of cranes in these conditions , both of which are vital in the progress of construction of the main NRC frame .
“ However , IHP continued to adapt their plans during the poor weather , and I ’ m pleased that we are on track to complete construction in Spring 2025 .”
Drone footage shows the five main pavilions of the ground floor of the NRC – Facilities Management , the café and staff area , the innovation and education pavilion , patient zone and research pavilion , and the main gym and therapy space .
The latest footage also shows the progress of the first and second floors which are nearing completion – these will house the south-facing patient bedrooms overlooking the Leicestershire countryside , as well as some treatment spaces .
In addition , the onsite energy centre frame is almost complete and will be the first part of the NRC design to be built .
The design of the NRC uses modern methods of construction and will be highly energy efficient , with plans for the building to be carbon neutral to support the NHS ambition to be Carbon Net Zero by 2045 .
Work continues to integrate the Smart Hospital design to make the NRC as digitally advanced as possible , with the capability to incorporate additional cutting-edge technology in the future .
Find out more about the construction of the NRC on our NRC website .
www . constructionviewonline . co . uk