Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton

Our Planning, Development and Regeneration team has been shortlisted for Planning Permission of the Year at the 2020 Planning Awards for its work on the Oak Cancer Centre (OCC) in Sutton.

The OCC will increase the Royal Marsden Hospital’s capacity for research and create an environment to enable the development of a new and improved model of care, replacing existing hospital infrastructure dating back to the 1960s.

The 134,000 sq ft, six-storey building hospital building will facilitate new outpatient, medical day-care, dry laboratories, and collaboration space for clinical researchers, which will bring about faster development of new treatments.

Our team was appointed by the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust to provide planning consultancy services to support the scheme. Throughout the process our team developed a close working relationship with the local council and planning authority, which meant that any issues could be resolved efficiently. The application was validated on 23 July 2019 and planning permission was secured on 22 November 2019 following unanimous support at public consultation.

Mary-Jane O’Neill, Head of Planning – London & South East, commented:

“The fact that this project has been shortlisted is not only testament to the ambition of the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust in bringing forward such a ground-breaking scheme, but also the collaborative effort and months of hard work on behalf of all those involved in the planning process in ensuring the project received the necessary support to get it over the line.

“If the current crisis has taught us anything, it’s that our healthcare services are the backbone of society and should not only be protected but also enhanced. Investing in their future through major infrastructure projects such as the OCC will ensure we continue to provide truly world-class facilities for future generations.”

Chief Executive of The Royal Marsden, Dame Cally Palmer, said:

“This state-of-the-art treatment and research facility will help us to save lives by diagnosing more cancers at an earlier stage when treatment is more likely to be successful, and by accelerating research into new treatments that will benefit cancer patients everywhere.

"We are delighted with the innovative, patient-centred design of the Oak Cancer Centre and were thrilled that it gained such a high level of public support. Patients will receive treatment in modern, accessible and peaceful environments with natural light and views over the landscaped gardens and the centre will enable us to be there for people with cancer in London and the South East for decades to come.”

Pydar Regeneration, Truro

As well as planning, the Awards also celebrate excellence in regeneration, economic development, urban design, sustainable development and community development.

In further recognition of our expertise across these areas, a second scheme that we have been heavily involved in has also been shortlisted, this time in the in the Placemaking categories.

Working closely with Inner Circle Consulting, our Real Estate Advisory team has provided development and commercial consultancy, viability and funding advice in respect of The Pydar Regeneration in Truro.

Pydar is transformational for the marginalised community of Truro and will provide many benefits including homes, workspace, learning opportunities and job creation as part of a vibrant new neighbourhood with green spaces and good quality public realm.

Chris Parkes, Director of Real Estate Advisory, commented:

"We're delighted that the scheme has been recognised for its impact on the local community and we wish the team every success on the night."

Winners will be announced on Thursday 24 September 2020 at The Mermaid London, Puddle Dock, London.