Paddington hospital could be rebuilt by 2035 under new plans by Imperial College Healthcare

A Paddington hospital forced to partially close one of its buildings due to safety concerns could be rebuilt by 2035, under new plans revealed by Imperial College Healthcare Trust.

St Mary’s Hospital on Praed Street and South Wharf Road part-closed its outpatient building late last year due to the discovery of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

The 175-year-old hospital is home to the busiest major trauma centre in London. Penicillin was also discovered at the hospital by Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming in 1928.

However, the site is one of the oldest in the NHS, with backlog maintenance rising by £157mn over the last four years. This has led to structural weakness in its main outpatient facility, requiring it to be closed with services relocated within the next year.

Imperial College Healthcare has now released images which show revised plans for a new 800-bed major trauma and general hospital at the site.

It will be combined into a single, taller 30-storey building on a smaller footprint, oversailing South Wharf Road, and making it the tallest building in the area.

Matt Tulley, redevelopment director at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “St Mary’s Hospital is continuing its extraordinary track record in healthcare and innovation, but our facilities are simply no longer fit for purpose.

“Despite spending millions of pounds every year on maintenance, we can’t keep up with the rate of deterioration, which is why we are now seeing an increase in major building failures.

“We urgently need a new hospital, and we now have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to secure a future-proofed, landmark facility alongside wider regeneration that will bring even wider benefits for local communities. We want to hear from local residents and businesses, as well as patients and staff, to make sure we produce the best possible designs.”

The new hospital will include a helipad, roof garden and space for teaching and research. New designs, produced alongside Stanhope Plc, Allies and Morrison and HOK, aim to make the site easier to get around and more efficient to run.

St Mary’s Hospital will run as normal during construction. Once services move into the new building, the rest of the site will also be redeveloped.

This includes more public space and greenery, alongside the expansion of Paddington Life Sciences. There will also be improved access to the canal and connections with surrounding streets.

The project will be funded by the Government’s New Hospital Programme. Imperial College Healthcare is looking at finance options so building can begin as soon as planning permission is granted.

A second round of consultations has opened, following a first round earlier this year. Imperial College London aims to submit a planning application to Westminster City Council in spring 2027, following a another pre-application public consultation this autumn.

If approved in 2028, construction may begin by 2030. This could see the site open by 2035, which is much faster than the current New Hospital Programme timetable which delays delivery until 2043 at the earliest.

Patients, staff, local residents, businesses and community groups are being invited to comment on the updated designs in a consultation that runs until 17 July 2026.

At three drop-in events local people can find out more about the proposals, speak to the project team and share their views. These will take place at:

• St Mary Magdalene Church (W2 5TF), Thursday 18 June, 1-7pm;
• Church Street Library Community Space (NW8 8EU), Saturday 20 June, 10am-2pm;
• St John’s Church (W2 2QD), Tuesday 23 June, 1-7pm.

There will also be an online webinar at 6pm on Wednesday 17 June. Registration is via the Trust’s website or by emailing imperial.redevelopment@nhs.net for more information.

You can find out more about the consultation on the Trust’s website.

Additional reporting by Linus Rees.

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