The site had been vacant since the late 2010s, creating a significant gap in local healthcare provision. We partnered with North West London Integrated Care Board (ICB) and other stakeholders to provide combined GP and community health services, while also releasing surplus land for 70 private residential homes. The health centre is expected to be completed in Summer 2026.
The challenge
Sustainability: The existing estate had poor energy performance and did not meet modern environmental standards.
Funding constraints: Delivering a £16m project necessitated innovative financial strategies, including reinvesting surplus land proceeds.
Difficulty in gaining planning consent: The process was drawn out, as it balanced the need to conserve the heritage of the locally listed building with the need to maximise residential development to help fund the works.
We work in partnership with our customers to make the best use of the estate. Through the business case process, we build strong evidence to support estate optimisation.
The Northwood & Pinner project removes 2,000 sqm of vacant space by refurbishing and repurposing space that was previously vacant. This delivers accommodation that is the right size and fit for purpose.
Our Development Managers worked with the customer to identify the scope of this project. The scheme involves the refurbishing a locally listed building, with partial demolition and extension, while preserving important historical features such as the founder’s plaque and memorial beam.
The team collaborated with occupiers and clinicians for more than five years to ensure the building supports healthcare delivery requirements and makes best use of the space.
They worked closely with the Lease Advisory team to resolve title issues, including an adverse possession claim, and partnered with the Capital Project team to appoint the main contractor and deliver the new health centre.
The Development Management team worked to incorporate energy efficient elements into the final design such as air-source heat pumps, LED lighting, and thermal-efficient building fabric.
We also incorporated EV charging stations, water-efficient flow restrictors, and biodiversity planting to meet environmental and community needs.
Outside the health centre, we were able to make use of surrounding land and created three garden areas and cycle storage to promote well-being and active travel.
The Development Managers worked with our experts in Property Disposals and Reinvestment to support the funding of this project. Ultimately, the project has been funded through a mix of land disposal receipts, NHSPS capital, and developer contributions.
We recommended to our customer that we market the site early to bring in a buyer within the financial year. The sale of residential land was crucial for the project’s progress which was handled by our internal team. Our team structured the land deal so that it was subject to a leaseback until the health centre was completed and with full planning consent for residential use.
The deal is on track to deliver the capital receipt within 2025/26, supporting the delivery of the new health scheme.
Impact
Healthcare access: The health centre will enable the delivery of additional services in the local area, such as mental health services, Talking Therapies and expanded GP services. .
Environmental benefits: Expected 80% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to London targets.
Community engagement: Groundbreaking ceremony in May 2025 involved local stakeholders, reinforcing trust and transparency.
Economic value: The rationalisation of estate and reinvestment strategy maximises NHS resources for patient care.
Community impact: By releasing surplus land for housing, the project supports both NHS service delivery and local housing needs.
