Publish date: 28 September 2026
Plans for the new Leighton Hospital have taken an important step forward after moving into the next stage of design.
Big building projects follow a set of steps called the RIBA Plan of Work. These steps help guide how a building is designed and built.
Work on the new Leighton Hospital has recently finished Stage 2, called Concept Design. This stage is where the overall vision, layout and approach to the building are developed.
We have now started Stage 3, called Spatial Coordination. During this stage, the plans become more detailed. Teams will look at how different hospital services, departments and rooms fit together to give patients and staff the best possible experience.
The new Leighton Hospital is part of the national New Hospital Programme, which is building new NHS hospitals across the country.
The hospital will also support the Trust's plans to create a health and care neighbourhood. This means health and care services will work more closely together. It will help people get the care they need more easily, make better use of digital technology and provide modern, environmentally friendly buildings.
Russ Favager, the Trust’s Board Senior Responsible Officer for Leighton New Hospital Programme, said: "Reaching RIBA Stage 3 is a major achievement and reflects the hard work and commitment of everyone who has helped shape our new hospital, including our colleagues, patients, partners and local communities.
"This milestone takes us another important step towards creating a modern, sustainable hospital that will provide excellent environments for patient care, improve the experience of our staff and meet the future health needs of the communities we serve.
“The insight and involvement of local people and our clinical teams have been invaluable, and that collaboration will continue as we develop the design in greater detail. There is still much to do, but this is an exciting moment and gives us real momentum for the next stage."
In July, the Trust announced that Integrated Health Projects (IHP) will build the new hospital. IHP is a partnership between VINCI Building and Sir Robert McAlpine.
