John Laing, Laing O鈥橰ourke and Interserve to design and build new Kent PFI hospital

A consortium comprising John Laing, Laing O鈥橰ourke and Interserve has been chosen to design and build a 拢300m PFI hospital in Pembury, Kent.

The Equion Consortium was picked by the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Trust to design the 512bed hospital ahead of applying for planning permission early next year.

Equion project director Jackie Churchward-Cardiff, said: 鈥淭he environmental setting of the Pembury site and the requirement to design 100% single rooms, provides a unique opportunity to build a fantastic hospital which sets a new standard for patient care in this country.鈥�

The 65,000 m虏, seven-storey high building will include planned and emergency surgery, orthopaedics, a women and children鈥檚 zone, day case theatres, outpatient services and a mental health unit.

The Department of Health is expected to approve the scheme in autumn 2007.