Kier appointed to deliver £17m mental health facility

Kier has been awarded a contract by the Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust to deliver a new £17 million mental health facility at 1 Lowther Road in Islington, London.

Designated through the Procurement Partnerships Framework, the project is the first community mental health center to be integrated into the Trust’s Transformation of St Pancras programme.

The works include the demolition of the existing facility on the site and the construction of a new four-story building that will include state-of-the-art facilities. The new space will provide interview, counseling and treatment rooms, and agile workspace for staff, as well as a cafeteria and group collaboration zones. There will also be a “pocket” park to support the well-being of visitors and staff.

With the project set to achieve excellent BREEAM standards, environmental efficiency is a key focus of this scheme. Key features include bolted sun shading curtain walls to prevent heat gain and reduce the demand on mechanical ventilation systems. There will also be 70 m² of solar panels on the roof of the building to support the use of renewable energy when the building is operational.

Located in the heart of Islington, this project requires close consultation and collaboration with the Trust, Islington City Council and local residents. Kier will work closely with the community on this project to update them on the progress being made, as well as provide learning and work experience opportunities on site and work with local vendors.

David McKenzie, managing director of Kier Construction London, South & Strategic Projects, said: “We are proud to be working with Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust to deliver this vital mental health center that will provide state-of-the-art facilities for patients and staff.

“We will use our extensive experience of delivering healthcare schemes in London to deliver this new building. We understand the importance of community collaboration, local residents will be kept up to date on the progress we are making, and a variety of job and training opportunities will be offered on this project.”

Dr Vincent Kirchner, Medical Director of the Camden and Islington NHS Trust, said: “Improving the quality of our community facilities is a crucial part of our plans to help people with mental health conditions live well in their communities. The Lowther Road redevelopment is an exciting opportunity. It will create a modern and welcoming space that will allow us to offer integrated services that address both mental and physical health. Importantly, it will also provide an improved work environment for our clinical teams.”

The award of this contract reinforces Kier’s position as a leading provider of healthcare facilities on behalf of the NHS Trusts, having completed the £98 million transformation program at Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot and the new 28 imaging center £.5 million at the Royal Brompton Hospital in Chelsea.