Transforming emergency care: How Tilbury Douglas delivered the New Emergency & Urgent Care Campus at Stepping Hill Hospital

Tilbury Douglas completed a transformative £34 million development at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport for the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, an award winning project that stands as a landmark in modern healthcare delivery.

The new Emergency and Urgent Care Campus (EUCC) unites key emergency services under one roof, providing a more efficient, patient-centred environment designed to meet the demands of a growing community.

Spanning 3,900 square metres, the campus was constructed in six carefully sequenced phases, ensuring that emergency services remained fully operational throughout the build. This live-site complexity demanded meticulous planning and an exceptional level of collaboration between clinical staff, the Trust, and Tilbury Douglas’s project team.

An integrated approach to emergency care

The new facility extends and remodels the hospital’s existing accident and emergency department, while also co-locating a range of specialist units to improve patient flow and clinical collaboration. Within the modern building, the Hyper Acute Stroke Unit (HASU), Medical Same Day Emergency Care (MSDEC) unit, Clinical Decision Unit (CDU), and mental health assessment areas now sit side-by-side, along with a dedicated paediatric emergency area.

The design focuses strongly on patient experience and staff wellbeing. Natural light, clear wayfinding, and welcoming spaces create a calmer environment for those arriving in need of medical assistance.

Meanwhile, the reworked ambulance drop-off zone and enhanced hospital frontage have transformed the patient arrival experience, improving both access and visual impact.

Building through complexity

Delivering a major infrastructure upgrade within a live hospital environment can present challenges. Tilbury Douglas managed the works in six distinct phases, carefully isolating construction areas to allow uninterrupted emergency operations. The project team also had to navigate hidden underground obstructions and tight spatial constraints, requiring innovative problem solving and precise coordination.

Digital engineering played a vital role. Using 3D Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) modelling, the team was able to reroute complex service networks safely and efficiently around existing hospital infrastructure.

The team worked collaboratively which helped mitigate risks and maintain the project’s timeline.

Delivering value beyond construction

The project’s impact extends far beyond the hospital walls. More than 97% of project expenditure went to small and medium-sized enterprises, and 88% of the workforce was recruited locally, creating tangible economic benefits for the Stockport area.

We also placed strong emphasis on skills development, delivering more than 700 apprentice training weeks, 13 T-Level placements, and over 150 volunteer hours.

Sustainability was embedded throughout the build: the team achieved a 59% reduction in site emissions through the use of HVO-fuelled and electric plant, secured a BREEAM “Very Good” rating, and earned full marks under the Considerate Constructors Scheme.

A facility built for the future

Clinically, the new campus increases the hospital’s emergency care capacity by more than 300 square metres. Its layout and workflows are designed to help the Trust achieve the national four-hour A&E performance standard, while improving the quality and speed of patient care. The new environment also enhances staff wellbeing by reducing congestion, improving visibility, and allowing smoother collaboration between multidisciplinary teams.

The project was delivered by Tilbury Douglas in partnership with Ryder Architecture, structural engineers Sutcliffe, and M&E consultants CAD21. From the outset, the collaboration between all parties was defined by a shared commitment to excellence, sustainability, and community value. Work began in June 2022, and completion and handover were achieved in May 2025: on time, within budget, and without disrupting vital patient services.

A lasting legacy

The new Emergency and Urgent Care Campus at Stepping Hill Hospital demonstrates how modern construction can directly enhance the patient journey and improve healthcare outcomes. By co-locating services, enhancing staff environments, and embedding sustainability throughout, the project exemplifies the future of hospital design, one where operational efficiency, clinical quality, and community benefit come together seamlessly.

In the words of the project team, the success of this development lies not only in the building itself but in the collaborative ethos that brought it to life. It represents a significant step forward for Stockport’s healthcare infrastructure and a model for how hospitals across the UK can evolve to meet the needs of tomorrow.