STEP, a joint venture between Sir Robert McAlpine Capital Ventures and Kajima Partnerships, has been named as the development partner for the £110 million redevelopment of Tolworth Hospital.
The partnership, which has already seen success at Springfield Hospital, will bring its expertise to the new state-of-the-art facilities at Tolworth, part of South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust's 'Better Environments Programme'.
The 'Better Environments Programme' has already seen the successful £150m redevelopment of Springfield Hospital in Wandsworth, opened in 2023.
The programme will also include improvements at Barnes Hospital and Richmond Royal, further enhancing the Trust’s services across the region.
The 'Better Environments Programme' has already seen the successful £150m redevelopment of Springfield Hospital
The redevelopment will introduce a new, state-of-the-art five-ward hospital building to Tolworth, with a focus on providing modern, therapeutic spaces for mental health services.
The new wards will house existing services that are currently based at Springfield Hospital.
By late 2027, Tolworth will be home to seven wards, including acute, older persons, and specialist mental health services, alongside outpatient facilities.
This move will help to rebalance inpatient care across the Trust’s two main sites.
By late 2027, Tolworth will be home to seven wards
The project will also enhance the Tolworth campus’s integration with the surrounding community.
The new development will feature landscaped areas, improved access routes, a central plaza, and a café – all designed to create a welcoming space for patients and visitors, and to help break down the stigma associated with mental health care.
In line with the Trust’s commitment to sustainability, the redevelopment will also contribute to its Net Zero goals.
Tolworth Hospital recently secured nearly £300,000 in funding as part of a new Government initiative to support solar energy systems across the NHS.
The new development will feature landscaped areas, improved access routes, a central plaza, and a café
This is part of a broader effort to modernise NHS facilities while promoting green energy solutions.
Ian Garlington, Director of the Trust’s Better Communities Programme, said: “We are thrilled to be moving ahead with the redevelopment of Tolworth Hospital. Our Better Communities and Better Environments programmes are transforming not only the care we provide to our patients, but also the communities around us.”
The Trust’s investments are part of a £1bn initiative aimed at transforming healthcare facilities and supporting urban regeneration across South West London.
The sale of the Trust’s derelict estates has enabled them to self-fund the new hospital builds at Springfield and Tolworth, while also supporting significant regeneration projects in the area.
The Trust’s investments are part of a £1bn initiative aimed at transforming healthcare facilities
The transformation of Springfield Hospital is well underway, with the creation of ‘Springfield Village’ bringing a 32-acre park, a public square, cafés, shops, a care home, and over 1,200 new homes.
Half of these homes are designated as affordable for the local community.
However, while 50% of the 1,200 homes are described as affordable, this applies specifically to the latest phase of 449 homes being developed by Barratt London, not the entire project.
The new wards will house existing services that are currently based at Springfield Hospital
Harriet Gladwell-Phillips, Project Lead for the Trust’s development partner STEP, said: “ STEP and our main contractor, Sir Robert McAlpine, are delighted to continue our partnership with the Trust, following our collective achievements at Springfield.
“We’re excited to bring these new facilities to life at Tolworth Hospital and support the Trust’s Better Environments Programme, which will make a tangible impact on the mental health of local communities.”
Looking ahead, the Trust is set to open the refurbished Richmond Royal Wellbeing Centre in May and begin the £15m redevelopment of Barnes Hospital, which is expected to be completed by late 2026.
Top image: Attendees at the groundbreaking ceremony