Excavation complete in dig for London cancer treatment centre

A major construction project in London, the new London Cancer Centre, has hit a major milestone recently by completing the excavation work. Above ground will be six levels of oncology service, but underneath will reside utility levels to support the building, eight surgical theatres, and a fully staffed proton therapy center. An article in the Irish Times reported that, "the job involved removing the equivalent of five storys of earth – 80,000 cubic metres – to prepare the site for a cancer treatment centre at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The hole, dug by excavator McGee to a depth of 28.5m in an area 87m long by 67m wide, is big enough to accommodate the Royal Albert Hall or 640 London buses."

Proton International partnership with UCLH
The 260 million pound facility is scheduled to open its doors in 2020, with the additional treatment of proton therapy. It will be the second NHS proton facility and will be housed in the excavated, lower levels of the building. UCLH is partnering with Proton International to extend access to proton beam therapy to private patients from across the world. From 2020, the treatment will be delivered at UCLH’s new cancer and surgery centre in London, alongside the service offered to NHS patients, and generating funding to reinvest in the NHS.

Chris Chandler, founder and president of Proton International, has led the development and/or operation of 15 proton centres in the United States and abroad. He said: “We’re very pleased to be working with UCLH and UK private medical insurers to provide private patients with the highest level of care and comfort and access to appropriate clinical trials in this new facility.” The partnership will provide access to proton therapy to both UCLH and qualified consultants from other Institutions for their UK and International private patients. The partnership was formed following a competitive tendering process.

To read more information on the dig or one of the Irish architects working on the project, please read the Irish Times article here.