Publish date: 30 July 2026
Your new Leighton Hospital will be built by Integrated Health Projects (IHP). IHP is a partnership between VINCI Building and Sir Robert McAlpine.
IHP has more than 20 years of experience building hospitals and other healthcare buildings across the UK. It has worked on many NHS projects, helping to create modern places where patients can receive care and staff can work safely.
IHP has been building hospitals and healthcare buildings across the UK for more than 20 years. It has worked on many NHS projects, helping to create modern buildings where patients can get the care they need and staff can work safely.
One of these is the Countess of Chester Women & Children’s Hospital. It is a four-storey hospital with 180 beds. It was the first NHS hospital in England to meet the NHS Net Zero Building Standard.
IHP also built North View, a hospital for adults with mental health needs. It has 150 single bedrooms and was built for Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.
The new hospital is part of the NHS New Hospital Programme. This is one of the biggest investments in NHS buildings for many years. The programme will provide modern hospitals that are designed to meet the needs of patients, staff, and local communities now and in the future.
IHP is one of the 10 construction companies selected for the national Hospital 2.0 Alliance (H2A) framework. This is a long-term partnership between NHS England, NHS Trusts, and industry partners.
The hospital will be built using the Hospital 2.0 approach. This means it will use modern designs, digital technology, and shared building methods to help create high-quality hospitals more quickly and efficiently.
In June, Cheshire East Council approved the Trust's planning application for the new hospital. The six-storey building will be built on land to the north of the current Leighton Hospital site.
Building work is expected to start in summer 2028. The new hospital is planned to open in 2033.
Ian Moston, the Trust’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “I’m proud to welcome IHP to our team. Together we will deliver what will be the single biggest infrastructure programme in mid Cheshire for decades. Our bold plan will mean better outcomes by creating environments that improve patient care, support staff, strengthen resilience and provide long-term value for communities.
“But this programme will be more than a like-for-like hospital replacement. The development, along with the wider ambition for a health and care neighbourhood, is a £1.4bn investment in mid Cheshire. This makes it a once in a generation opportunity to transform health and care services at a scale never seen before in this region.”
Commenting on behalf of IHP, Neil Martin, Chief Executive Officer, Sir Robert McAlpine, said: "The new Leighton Hospital will transform healthcare for communities across Mid Cheshire, creating a modern, sustainable facility that will serve generations to come.
"Working alongside our IHP joint venture partner, VINCI Building, we are proud to help deliver a world-class hospital that will improve patient outcomes, support the wellbeing of healthcare professionals, and leave a lasting legacy for local people. We look forward to collaborating with the Hospital 2.0 Alliance, Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and regional partners to bring this important vision to life."
The image below shows (l-r) John Roberts, Managing Director at VINCI Building Ltd; Karin Smyth MP, Minister of State in the Department of Health and Social Care; Ian Moston, Chief Executive of Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; and Neil Martin, CEO of Sir Robert McAlpine.
