Watford General Hospital

BDP was appointed by West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust in November 2020 to design and secure planning consent for development across three sites: Watford General Hospital, Hemel Hempstead Hospital and St Albans City Hospital. This involved an interdisciplinary team, including architecture, civil and structural engineering, building services, lighting, acoustics, ecology, landscape architecture, sustainability, interior design and town planning.

The development at Watford is the largest of the three developments and comprises a new 120,000m² hospital building of up to 17 storeys to accommodate up to 1,000 beds for emergency and critical care, inpatient wards, operating theatres, women's and children's services, a new energy centre and significantly improved and accessible landscape.

BDP’s town planners achieved outline planning permission for Watford General Hospital (WGH) in summer 2021. In order to meet tight funding timescales the proposals and planning application were prepared on a fast track programme of ten months from conception to grant of consent. During this time, we undertook comprehensive pre-application engagement with the local planning authority, statutory consultees and the local community. We worked collaboratively to respond to key considerations including building heights and views, and transport and access, which in turn enabled unanimous approval of the application by committee four weeks ahead of the statutory determination date.

BDP is currently developing the detailed design and the associated reserved matters applications for WGH. In addition, to securing permission for associated development at Hemel Hempstead Hospital and St Albans City Hospital.