Willow House reaches major milestone as stakeholders view progress at Hinchingbrooke

Key stakeholders from across health, local government, education and construction gathered at Hinchingbrooke Hospital on the 6th August to view significant progress on Willow House — the new staff accommodation designed and built by ZED PODS.

Representatives from North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust and ZED PODS at the Willow House stakeholder event

The event marked an important moment in the delivery of the programme, funded by the Government's New Hospital Programme, giving guests the opportunity to see first-hand how the site is being prepared for the future hospital through a series of enabling projects.

Visitors heard updates on the redevelopment programme, met the project's construction partners, Kier, and toured key locations across the hospital site — including areas undergoing demolition, the location of the future hospital, and Willow House itself.

85 rooms, designed as a home from home

Willow House will provide 85 high-quality, energy-efficient rooms for medical and nursing students on placement, overseas staff and on-call teams. It has been designed to create a welcoming, home-from-home environment close to the hospital campus, with modern facilities, accessible accommodation, improved digital connectivity and communal outdoor space to support wellbeing.

The development represents a significant investment in supporting the future workforce at Hinchingbrooke, and forms an important enabling scheme for the wider redevelopment programme.

"Today marks another significant milestone in our journey towards a new Hinchingbrooke Hospital. It is fantastic to be able to welcome partners and stakeholders onto the site to see the progress that is being made and the tangible signs that our redevelopment programme is moving forward."

"The new staff accommodation demonstrates our commitment to supporting our people while preparing the site for the next stages of development. Once complete, Willow House will provide a modern, welcoming environment for students and staff on-call, helping us attract and retain the talented workforce we need to care for our communities."

"This programme is about much more than buildings. It is about creating a hospital fit for future generations and ensuring we continue to provide excellent care in modern, sustainable and safe facilities."

Hannah Coffey Chief Executive, North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust

Willow House taking shape at Hinchingbrooke Hospital (Image courtesy of Sneak Global)

Built offsite, around a working hospital

Building this way matters on a live hospital site. Manufacturing the units in factory conditions means far fewer operatives, deliveries and stored materials on site, and a much shorter on-site programme — so clinical services carry on around the works rather than in spite of them.

"We are delighted to be delivering this staff accommodation project for the Trust. Using Modern Methods of Construction, the units are manufactured offsite, accelerating delivery and minimising disruption within a busy hospital environment. The accommodation is designed to achieve excellent energy efficiency, helping to reduce energy bills and day-to-day running costs."

Tom Northway Chairman, ZED PODS Limited

Part of a wider redevelopment

Attendees also viewed progress on demolition works associated with outdated staff accommodation buildings, which are helping prepare the site for future hospital construction. These enabling works form a key part of the wider redevelopment programme announced when Hinchingbrooke Hospital joined the New Hospital Programme in May 2023.

Willow House is expected to be completed in spring 2027, subject to construction progress.

NOTES TO EDITORS

• Hinchingbrooke Hospital was added to the New Hospital Programme in May 2023 as part of the Government's commitment to replace hospital buildings affected by Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC).

• The redevelopment programme, known as Hinchingbrooke Hospital: The Next Chapter, is dedicated to delivering a new hospital for local communities.

• Willow House will provide 85 bed spaces for medical and nursing students, overseas staff and on-call teams, and is being built by ZED PODS.

• Facilities will include accessible accommodation, improved digital connectivity and communal wellbeing space.

• The project supports workforce recruitment, retention and training while enabling the future redevelopment of the hospital site.

• Hinchingbrooke Hospital continues to operate safely, supported by a programme of ongoing inspection and maintenance relating to RAAC mitigation measures.

• In July 2026 the New Hospital Programme announced that the construction partner building the new Hinchingbrooke Hospital will be Kier.

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