KEY INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADE

Project Overview

CBES successfully delivered a key infrastructure upgrade at Birmingham Treatment Centre for Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust. The project involved demolishing an obsolete link bridge and constructing a new two-storey stair core, improving access to essential plant areas while supporting wider redevelopment plans.

Delivered within a fully operational hospital, the scheme required careful planning, strong stakeholder coordination, and a clear focus on protecting patient care. Beyond the technical works, the project demonstrates how construction can deliver meaningful benefits to both the client and the wider community—through improved infrastructure, sustainable practices, and social value initiatives.

Customer Challenge

The existing link bridge had become redundant following the closure of the adjacent City Hospital building. While no longer in use, it remained a physical and operational constraint, limiting redevelopment opportunities and adding unnecessary maintenance considerations.

The Trust required a solution that would:

• · Safely remove the redundant structure
• · Provide compliant access to plant and riser areas
• · Maintain uninterrupted hospital services
• · Align with modern safety and regulatory standards
• · Enable future regeneration of the surrounding site

CBES was appointed through a competitive tender, drawing on its extensive experience in live healthcare environments and its strong track record at the Treatment Centre.

Delivering Customer Benefits

Safer, Future-Ready Infrastructure

The new stair core replaces outdated infrastructure with a modern, compliant solution that supports long-term use. Designed to meet current fire and building regulations, it provides safe and reliable access to critical service areas.

For the Trust, this delivers:

• · Reduced operational and safety risk
• · Improved emergency access
• · Compliance with current standards
• · A future-proofed asset.

This ensures the building can continue to operate safely and effectively, supporting the delivery of high-quality healthcare services.

The stair core significantly improves access for facilities and maintenance teams. By creating a dedicated and efficient route to plant rooms and riser cupboards, it reduces the impact of maintenance activities on clinical areas.

This results in:

• · Faster and safer maintenance access
• · Reduced disruption to staff and patients
• · Improved reliability of building services
• These operational improvements directly support the Trust’s ability to deliver consistent patient care.

Maintaining Patient Care

Working within a live hospital environment required a carefully controlled approach. CBES placed patient safety at the centre of delivery, ensuring all works were completed without compromising clinical operations.

Key measures included:

• · Secure hoarding to separate construction and clinical areas
• · Controlled site access and logistics
• · Careful scheduling of high-impact activities
• · Continuous communication with hospital teams

Dust, noise, and vibration were tightly managed, ensuring a safe and comfortable environment for patients, visitors, and staff throughout the project.

Sustainable Delivery and Cost Savings

A key innovation within the project was the reuse of existing aluminium rainscreen cladding, delivering both financial and environmental benefits.

Cost Efficiency

• A new cladding system would typically cost:
• Aluminium panels: £285/m²
• Support system: £95/m²
• Total: £380/m²
• For the 356m² façade, this equates to:
• £135,280 + VAT

By reusing existing panels, CBES avoided a significant portion of this cost while maintaining a consistent external appearance. This approach demonstrates how practical design decisions can deliver tangible savings for the client without compromising quality.

Carbon Reduction

The reuse of cladding also delivered substantial environmental benefits:

• 45 kg CO₂e saved per m²
• Total saving: approx. 16 tonnes CO₂e
• This is equivalent to:
• Around 40,000 miles driven by a petrol car
• The annual carbon absorption of 700 mature trees

These savings align with NHS sustainability goals and highlight CBES’s commitment to reducing embodied carbon in construction.

Community Benefits - helping to transform the local area

Supporting Regeneration and Housing

The demolition of the link bridge is a key enabling step in the redevelopment of the former City Hospital site, which will deliver approximately 800 new homes.

This contributes to:

• · Increased housing supply
• · Regeneration of underutilised land
• · Economic growth and investment
• · Long-term community development

By delivering this project, CBES has played a direct role in supporting the future transformation of the area.

Local Economic Impact

CBES maximised local engagement by using suppliers and contractors from within the region. This included groundworks, scaffolding, roofing, and cladding specialists.

This approach helps:

• · Support local businesses - £268,311.26 Spent with local SMEs
• · Create employment opportunities - invested £267,281 in local people;
• · Retain economic value within the community.

Across the project we generated £623,000 of social value delivering a 65% value add through local employment community investment and, supply-chain engagement.

Social Value: Multi-Faith Room Enhancement

A standout social value contribution is the refurbishment of the hospital’s multi-faith room.

The original facility being lost following the removal of the link bridge, created a clear need for a replacement. Going above and beyond the project scope the team volunteered their time and donated material to help fit out the a new and improved space within the centre through decoration, flooring, and visual improvements, creating a comfortable and accessible environment.

An inclusive space for all, the new multi-faith room provides a calm, welcoming environment for:

• All faiths and beliefs·
• Prayer and religious practice
• Quiet reflection and meditation
• Emotional support during treatment

In a diverse city like Birmingham, such spaces are essential for supporting the wellbeing of patients, visitors, and staff.

Project Outcome

The completed stair core was delivered to a high standard and has been well received by the NHS Trust. It now provides safe, efficient, and compliant access to critical areas, supporting the hospital’s long-term operational needs.

Importantly, the works were delivered without disruption to patient care, maintaining the integrity of hospital services throughout.

Conclusion

This project demonstrates how infrastructure upgrades can deliver wide-ranging benefits. For the NHS Trust, it provides safer, more efficient facilities. For the community, it enables regeneration, supports local businesses, and enhances inclusive spaces such as the multi-faith room.

By combining technical expertise with sustainability and social value, CBES has delivered a project that creates lasting impact—supporting both people and place now and into the future.