Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is moving forward with plans to replace the aging St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington with a new, purpose-built facility integrated into a broader life sciences campus. The Trust released updated designs for the project on Wednesday 30 September 2026, marking the start of a third round of public consultation. This phase aims to gather feedback before submitting a planning application to Westminster City Council in spring 2027.
The updated proposals focus on a single, taller building in the eastern part of the site, standing approximately 30 storeys or 185 metres high. This design reduces the physical footprint compared to the current hospital, which spans around 40 buildings across 10 acres. By concentrating services in one location, the new structure is intended to improve clinical efficiency and infection control.
Key features of the new hospital include a 14th-floor sky lobby that connects clinical zones and provides spaces for rest and reflection, such as a sky garden and restaurant. The design also incorporates single, en-suite patient rooms and dedicated areas for urgent and emergency care. Advanced infrastructure and digital connectivity will link the facility to community systems, while research spaces are embedded directly within clinical areas to speed up the development and implementation of new diagnostics and treatments.
The project team includes masterplan architects Allies and Morrison and hospital design architects HOK, alongside Gillespies, Savills and LCA.
Independent evaluation of the plans suggests that nearly doubling the space for research and innovation under the expanded Paddington Life Sciences partnership could create between 9,000 and 11,000 additional jobs. This economic boost could generate up to £1.3 billion more in annual activity.
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St Mary’s estate includes some of the oldest buildings in the NHS, dating back to 1845.
Extending the life sciences partnership and funding discussions
The Trust is continuing to work with partners through the St Mary’s Redevelopment Funding Taskforce. Members of this taskforce include Westminster City Council, local MPs, Imperial College London, and Imperial Health Charity. The group is exploring additional financing sources and models to accelerate the main hospital building works.
Supporting the redevelopment through the Fleming Centre
The Fleming Centre will serve as a precursor to the transformation of St Mary’s. Situated at the western edge of the current estate on the site of The Bays building, it has secured planning approval from Westminster City Council. The Centre is due to open in 2028. This date marks 100 years since Sir Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin at St Mary’s.
The Fleming Centre will provide a new research and public engagement hub. Its focus will be on tackling antimicrobial resistance. The facility will help build momentum for the wider redevelopment of the St Mary’s campus. It will house the headquarters of the Fleming Initiative, a joint partnership between Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Imperial College London.
Engagement Opportunities and Upcoming Events
The Trust will hold a series of public exhibitions and pop-up engagement events throughout October. These events will take place at various locations including Hyde Park Crescent and Edgware Road. People can also attend an online webinar on Wednesday 21 October or visit a consultation hub in Paddington Square.
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