01 / Case Study
Halton General Hospital CDC
DSSR provided full MEP design duties for a single-storey Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) extension at Halton General Hospital in Runcorn.
Location / Runcorn
Contract Value / £6m
Architect / Ryder Architecture
Client / Warrington & Halton Hospitals NHS Trust / Kier
Completion / 2025
02 / Overview
Overview of the Halton General Hospital CDC project
The extension was added to the existing Captain Sir Tom Moore Building (formerly the Cheshire & Merseyside Treatment Centre) as part of a government initiative to improve access to diagnostic services. Funded through the national CDC programme, the new facility supports faster diagnoses for patients across Halton and Warrington, under the Warrington & Halton Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Facility Expansion
The completed project delivered a 760 sq metre extension on a former gravel overspill car park adjacent to the existing facility. Within this footprint, 725 sq metres of clinical and ancillary space was created, including MRI and CT scanning suites, changing areas, and toilets. The expansion played a key role in addressing increasing demand for diagnostic services, improving accessibility and patient flow across the Trust’s catchment area.
Engineering Innovation
One of the major design challenges was managing capital costs without compromising on performance. During a value engineering exercise, DSSR successfully proposed the use of existing roof-level plant space in a neighbouring building, with external service risers running to the new extension. This approach significantly reduced capital expenditure and allowed the project to move forward without delay, while still meeting the technical and functional needs of the facility.
Sustainability and Previous Works
Despite the demanding timeframe, DSSR ensured energy efficiency remained a core part of the design strategy, incorporating LED lighting throughout the new space. The CDC project added to DSSR’s portfolio of successful works at the Halton site, which includes previous schemes for Daycase Theatres, Endoscopy, and Theatre facilities delivered for Kier and the NHS Trust.