Willow House, Hinchingbrooke Hospital
Sustainable modular staff accommodation supporting the next chapter of NHS redevelopment.
Willow House is a new modular staff accommodation development at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, Huntingdon, delivered by ZED PODS for North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust. The scheme forms part of the wider Hinchingbrooke Hospital Redevelopment Programme, funded through the New Hospital Programme, and supports the Trust’s long-term ambition to deliver a modern, fully electric and digitally enabled hospital while maintaining safe and effective patient care throughout construction.
Project Information
Client: North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
Location: Hinchingbrooke Hospital, Huntingdon PE29 6NT
Building Solution: Permanent
Scope of works: Full Turnkey Service (RIBA Stage 0 – 7)
Status: Under Construction
Project Team
Existing Site
The project is located on the former Old Nursery site at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, Huntingdon PE29 6NT. The site sits at the front of the hospital campus, positioned between two car parks and close to the main staff parking area. The former two-storey nursery building had previously been used for storage before being demolished to make way for the new staff accommodation.
Project Brief
Providing high-quality staff accommodation at the front of the hospital site
The brief was to re-provide high-quality staff accommodation at the front of the hospital site, enabling the phased demolition of older staff accommodation blocks elsewhere on the campus and unlocking land required for the new hospital development. The replacement accommodation is critical to ensuring there is no disruption in the availability of accommodation for staff who require it during the wider redevelopment programme.
Full Turnkey
Solution
This project is executed through a full turnkey Design & Build process, encompassing all stages of design according to RIBA standards, planning application, offsite manufacturing, module delivery, onsite groundworks and construction and handover.
The proposal provides 52 dwellings across two blocks, creating a total of 85 bed spaces. Block B is a completely new-build modular block, consisting of 32 x 2-bed 2-person dwellings. Block A provides 20 dwellings in total, consisting of 9 x 1-bed 1-person dwellings, including 5 Part M4(3) wheelchair-accessible homes, 1 x 2-bed 2-person dwelling, and the relocated Key Worker Accommodation, comprising 10 x 1-bed 1-person apartments on the top two levels of Block A.
The project also prioritised comfort, accessibility, wellbeing and sustainability. Level access is designed throughout the development to support wheelchair access, with particular consideration given to the Part M4(3) dwellings. The scheme also proposes 7 parking spaces, including 5 disabled parking spaces serving the accessible homes.
This is a major milestone in our redevelopment journey and marks an important step for the New Hospital Programme. We are very excited to be working with local supplier, ZED PODS Ltd to create sustainable and homely environments for our staff to stay in. In turn, this will enable the demolition of our existing staff accommodation blocks at the back of our hospital site and create the space we need for our new hospital.
Deborah Lee
Senior Responsible Officer
Hinchingbrooke Redevelopment
Designed to move. Built to last.
Relocating the key worker accommodation into the next chapter of Hinchingbrooke Hospital
A key feature of Willow House is the relocation and reuse of the key worker accommodation, a 10-unit scheme originally completed by ZED PODS in 2020 for North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust at Hinchingbrooke Hospital.
After six years in use, the building remains in excellent condition, demonstrating the durability, build quality and long-term value of ZED PODS’ modular housing system. Rather than being treated as a temporary asset, the existing homes are being given a second life as part of a larger, future-facing accommodation development.
As part of Willow House, the 10 existing one-bedroom apartments from the key worker accommodation will be carefully relocated and integrated into the top two floors of Block A. This showcases one of the key advantages of ZED PODS’ modular construction: homes can be demounted, relocated and reused as estate needs evolve.
Project Brief approved by the Council
Undertook Feasibility Studies
Agree on Project Budget
Prepare Project Programme
Completed
Completed
Building handed over to the Council
Upcoming
Develop Business Case
Review Project Risks
Review Project Budget
Undertook Site Appraisals
Completed
Architectural Concept approved by the Council and aligned to the Project Brief
Obtain pre-application Planning Advice
Initial Cost Plan
Completed
Residents move in
Upcoming
Planning application submitted
Completed
Building Regulations Application
Construction Phase Plan
Upcoming
Construction off-site to minimise disruption and site installation
Upcoming
