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06
Aug
45-year deal with private firm to finance £4.2 million refurbishment at Harrogate hospital
A firm based near Ripon will refurbish Harrogate District Hospital’s entrance in a "commercially-funded" £4.2 million deal.
Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust has drawn up plans to reconfigure the front entrance of the building on Lancaster Park Road, as well as its cafe, waiting areas and reception area.
A trust spokesperson told the Stray Ferret the project will be “commercially-funded” at no cost to the hospital.
The hospital has entered into a contract with Noviniti, which is based at Newby Hall and specialises in retail partnerships with hospitals.
The company, which has constructed similar schemes in Warwick and Portsmouth, builds extensions at no cost to NHS trusts and leases retail space to create an income stream.
Noviniti describes itself as a 'market leader in delivering fully-funded off balance sheet development solutions'.
A spokesperson for Harrogate and District NHS Trust told the Stray Ferret that no hospital budgets would be affected by the project.
They said:
The project is commercially-funded, meaning no public money will be spent on the build and no money will be taken from any clinical, patient care or staff budgets.
According to a contract on the government’s procurement portal, the Harrogate trust has entered into a 45-year ground lease agreement with Noviniti for the land which is due for development.
A trust spokesperson confirmed it hoped to start work on the scheme in autumn this year.
Jonathan Coulter, chief executive of Harrogate and District Foundation Trust.
Jonathan Coulter, chief executive of the trust, said the upgrade was much needed and would help to give the hospital a fresh look.
Speaking to the Stray Ferret about the proposals in July, he said the entrance to the site had not been addressed for some 30 years.
He said the current facade looked “tired” and was in need of a refurbishment.
Mr Coulter said:
The reason for doing it is that it must be 30 years since it was looked at and it is very, very tired and not something that we are particularly proud of in terms of the hospital.
The move will see a single storey extension built to the entrance on Lancaster Park Road, which will create additional communal and retail space.
According to proposals submitted to the North Yorkshire Council, the scheme is expected to create a flat roofed, “modest” single storey extension which will provide 85sqm of internal floorspace.
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