KIER Construction welcomed key stakeholders to site to mark a significant milestone in the building of the new Satellite Radiotherapy Unit at Abergavenny's Nevill Hall Hospital.
The £24m project will bring state-of-the-art radiotherapy services closer to the residents of Gwent and those living in the northern reaches of Velindre Cancer Centre’s catchment area.
According to Jason Taylor, regional director at Kier Construction Western & Wales, this project will provide a "vital centre" to cancer patients across the area, which is something the company are "incredibly proud to be a part of."
He added: “This week’s event marks a significant milestone here in Abergavenny and it’s fantastic to see this facility taking shape.”
Visitors from the hospital’s radiology department, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Velindre Cancer Centre, Gleeds and other stakeholders celebrated the building’s construction reaching its highest point by signing the steel structure, as well as the walls of its two specially designed bunkers.
The bunkers are one of this project’s key features and will house the two medical linear accelerator (LINAC) machines – devices used to treat cancer patients with external beam radiation.
Kier worked collaboratively with USA based bunker specialist Nelco Worldwide to provide a market leading shielding design for the bunkers, which weigh 2,500 tonnes and incorporate a three-inch thick lead lining to protect staff, patients and the public from the radiation emitted.
The two-storey building will also house treatment planning areas, offices, welfare rooms and plant rooms.
As part of the scheme, Kier has created a range of local jobs that include roles for tradesmen and apprentices as well as administrative roles.
Following the steel signing, Kier's supply chain visited the children’s ward at the Grange Hospital in nearby Cwmbran to donate festive selection boxes.
The milestone has been met with great enthusiasm from all parties involved, with Lorraine Morgan, programme manager for Strategic Capital Estates at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, saying: “We’re delighted to have reached such a significant milestone and to see the rapid progress of this project.
“We’re really excited to see the facility come to life over the next year and to be able to provide high quality cancer care for patients in our region in 2025.”
Helen Payne, radiotherapy services manager at Velindre Cancer Centre, echoed this sentiment, stating: “We’re really pleased with the development of the Radiotherapy Satellite Centre, bringing the delivery of the service a step closer to becoming a reality. The centre will improve access to essential treatment for people in communities of South East Wales.
“With the steel structure and bunker walls in place, we’re looking forward to a new way of working with our wider networked clinical model and its key feature of integrated radiotherapy solutions throughout hospitals in the Velindre catchment area.”
On Gleed's involvement in the project, regional director of project management at Gleeds, Benet Robertson-Adams, said they were "honoured" to be involved.
Mr Robertson-Adams stated: "This project will serve the local and surrounding community with a much-needed cancer service.”
Awarded under the Building for Wales Framework, the project is expected to be operational in 2025.
