The latest wave of NHS Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) investment will deliver four entirely new facilities in Gorton (Manchester), Luton, Boston (Lincolnshire) and Bideford (Devon).
The four new-build CDCs sit within a recent government cash injection of £237m to fund 36 schemes across England.
The latest investment builds on earlier waves of CDC funding across England.
The 36-site programme includes a mix of new-build centres, expansions and upgrades, with the four locations confirmed as standalone developments.
Spanning major urban centres and rural healthcare settings, the four new CDCs highlight the programme’s dual focus on addressing both city demand pressures and long-standing access gaps in more remote communities.
Gorton CDC, Manchester
The Gorton CDC is being delivered through Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), with the scheme forming part of its wider CDC network expansion across Greater Manchester.
While MFT has confirmed funding approval and early delivery phases at Gorton Community Hub, a single lead main contractor for the full build has not been publicly confirmed in NHS announcements to date.
Early enabling and design activity is understood to be underway as part of the phased rollout of the CDC.
The project sits within MFT’s broader CDC programme, which includes multiple sites across the city region delivered through a mix of estates partners and framework procurement routes.
Luton CDC, Bedfordshire
The Luton CDC, located on the University of Bedfordshire campus, is being delivered by Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
The main construction works are being undertaken by Ashe Construction, which has been appointed to deliver the £10m refurbishment and fit-out of the former university space into a diagnostic facility.
The scheme is part of a wider redevelopment of campus buildings and includes significant M&E installation, imaging infrastructure and patient access alterations.
Completion is expected in phases, with opening anticipated in early 2026–27.
Boston CDC, Lincolnshire
The Boston CDC is being delivered by the Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals NHS Group, with MTX Contracts involved in the build phase as part of the main delivery team.
The scheme is located on the former York Street football ground site in Boston, where enabling works and demolition have already begun ahead of construction.
The project is a large-scale new-build CDC incorporating MRI, CT, X-ray and ultrasound capacity, and is being delivered as part of a wider estates regeneration scheme in the town centre.
Bideford CDC, Devon
The Bideford CDC in north Devon is being developed within the existing Bideford Community Hospital site, with delivery managed through local NHS estates and community health partners.
Unlike the other three schemes, it is not a fully standalone new build; instead, it is a redevelopment and expansion of an existing community hospital footprint, integrating diagnostic services into an upgraded community facility.
No single national contractor has been publicly confirmed for the full build, as delivery is being managed through local NHS capital and estates frameworks.
Programme context
Alongside the standalone developments, the funding includes expanded and enhanced existing CDC sites, collectively aimed at significantly increasing diagnostic throughput.
Across all locations, the CDC programme is focused on improving early diagnosis of cancer and long-term conditions, reducing pressure on acute hospital diagnostics, increasing access to same-day and community-based testing, and supporting more integrated care models closer to home.
Together, the Gorton, Luton, Boston and Bideford centres represent a targeted expansion of NHS diagnostic infrastructure into both urban growth areas and underserved rural communities.
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