CLIENT: University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and University of Leicester
CONTRACT: £5.5m
PROCUREMENT: NHS SBS

Project Overview

The £5.5 million refurbishment and extension project at Leicester General Hospital delivers a new state-of-the-art research facility for the Leicester Diabetes Centre (LDC). LDC is an award-winning health research partnership between the University of Leicester and University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. The three-storey extension sits on a 10,410 sqm site and creates new clinical research rooms, offices, staff rooms, kitchens, a lifestyle gymnasium, and a metabolic kitchen. The project supports the rapid growth of the Centre, which has expanded from a single research nurse to over 200 colleagues.

Procurement & Design Approach

To coordinate the complex build on a constrained site, SGP utilised a federated Revit BIM model. A three-storey extension nestled within the original building’s ‘H’-shaped footprint. Stepped back to allow light and air to circulate while remaining subservient to the existing structure, the design incorporates silver profiled steel cladding, full-height windows on the south elevation to maximise natural daylight, and a glazed and louvred atrium enclosing the southern courtyard with a garden entrance and walkway.

Environmental Strategy

Key measures include:

• Building orientation and full-height glazing on the south elevation designed to maximise natural daylighting.
• Stepped-back building layout within the ‘H’-shaped footprint to allow light and air to circulate around existing structures.
• A glazed and louvred atrium enclosing the southern courtyard with a garden entrance zone.

Conclusion

The £5.5 million Leicester Diabetes Centre extension represents a landmark development in modern healthcare design and research infrastructure. The new facility physically embodies the innovative collaboration between academia at the University of Leicester and clinical practice within University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.

By incorporating high-specification clinical research rooms, dedicated office spaces, a lifestyle gymnasium, a metabolic kitchen, and an enclosed courtyard atrium with a garden entrance, the architectural design meets immediate operational needs while delivering a flexible, future-proof research environment.

Delivered through close coordination between SGP, Stepnell, and Gleeds within an ambitious schedule on a constrained hospital plot, the project strengthens LDC’s standing as a world-leading hub for diabetes and long-term condition research.