{"id":802747,"date":"2026-10-14T22:02:22","date_gmt":"2026-10-14T22:02:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/802747\/"},"modified":"2026-10-14T22:02:22","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T22:02:22","slug":"residents-slam-monstrosity-as-nhs-admits-new-northumberland-hospital-needs-to-be-dismantled","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/802747\/","title":{"rendered":"Residents slam \u2018monstrosity\u2019 as NHS admits new Northumberland hospital needs to be dismantled"},"content":{"rendered":"

Residents in Berwick <\/a>say the town\u2019s brand new hospital that is costing tens of millions to build is a “disaster” and should be torn down. It comes as the NHS <\/a>has admitted the building will need to be stripped back to its structural steelwork after inspections found the building work carried out up to this point was not up to standard.<\/p>\n

Modular construction firm Merit were initially contracted to carry out the construction project, but the company collapsed into administration in late 2025. New contractors Robertson have been working with Northumbria Healthcare to determine what will need to be done for the scheme to progress.<\/p>\n

The hospital is being built on the site of the current Berwick Infirmary, which dates back to the Victorian era and was once dismissed by NHS<\/a> bosses as \u2018unsuitable\u2019. As late as September, the trust\u2019s Executive Director of Estates and Facilities, Damon Kent said that \u201cthe external, as you see of the build\u201d would remain \u201cin place\u201d.<\/p>\n

Now, after several months of inspections by Robertsons, it has been decided that much of work done so far \u2013 including internal systems such as mechanical and electrical systems and pipework and internal walls as well as the external fa\u00e7ade and steel frame system \u2013 will need to be removed and replaced. Only the main structural steel work will remain.<\/p>\n

NHS <\/a>bosses have told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the additional costs this will bring are currently unknown. However, it is likely to impact the trust\u2019s wider capital project and could require additional funding from NHS England or the Department for Health.<\/p>\n

Tom Young\u2019s house on Low Green backing onto the new hospital build. The building comes within yards of his garden wall and large windows look directly into his bedroom.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The hospital building comes extremely close to the rear garden wall of properties on Low Green(Image: Copyright Unknown)<\/p>\n

The 78-year-old described living beside the construction site as a \u201cnightmare\u201d and said he felt the building should be torn down.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cIt\u2019s rotten to the core. It\u2019s a national scandal, but it\u2019s a personal anguish.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is never out of our minds. You wake up in the morning, and there it is \u2013 there\u2019s workers leaning on the rails looking directly into our bedroom window and into our garden.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor a long time we didn\u2019t want to go into the garden because we felt we were being overlooked. We have suffered for years because of this.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The hospital building comes extremely close to the rear garden wall of properties on Low Green(Image: Copyright Unknown)<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m 78-years-old and this has destroyed years of my life. To build that monstrosity there \u2013 they have said it is a hospital for the 21st century, but its a 19th century site.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it was torn down, we would have a party. It\u2019s heart-breaking, we\u2019ve put everything into this house.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow much is it going to be to put it right? Had they built it on a site that was suitable, as a conventional build, it would have been finished. It has completely failed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe anger is keeping me going. I will never let it go \u2013 it\u2019s totally unjust. There\u2019s a lack of accountability and they have all got something to answer for.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe NHS is supposed to make you better, but they\u2019ve made us ill.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr Young said he raised concerns with the NHS about the work that was going on at the site. This included the crushing of materials that caused air pollution, cranes oversailing his garden without permission and the proximity of the building to the rear garden wall of the street.<\/p>\n

Later, he pointed out that insulation that had been installed, but not weatherproofed, had turned green and black, while cladding panels had buckled and pigeons were seen entering the building through unfinished sections.<\/p>\n

\"Insulation<\/p>\n

Insulation installed in the hospital appears to have turned green and black.(Image: Copyright Unknown)<\/p>\n

Access to the site has proved extremely difficult, with the surrounding narrow streets leaving some wagons carrying modular elements of the hospital trapped for hours at a time.<\/p>\n

Tom\u2019s wife, Hilda, added: \u201cWe\u2019ve put our hearts and souls into this house. We loved the house and we loved the garden \u2013 it was perfect.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to move away because of what has been done, but we\u2019re totally trapped because we can\u2019t sell it \u2013 certainly not until it\u2019s finished, and now we\u2019re told it\u2019s another two years.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe came down here for a quiet life. We would love it to be torn down.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The view from the Youngs’ back garden before the new hospital was constructed.
\n(Image: Handout)<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The view from the Youngs’ back garden now the new hospital has been erected.(Image: Handout)<\/p>\n

The area, known locally as the Greenses, housed generations of local fisherman and their families and is part of the town\u2019s conservation area. It is known as a \u201cfishing village within the town\u201d and has protections for its \u201ccharacter and architectural style\u201d under Northumberland<\/a> County Council\u2019s planning policies.<\/p>\n

Speaking exclusively to the Local Democracy Reporting Service to address the concerns, Executive Director of Estates and Facilities, Damon Kent said: \u201cThe development is built in line with the planning consent. I know there\u2019s issues that some of the residents have raised, but I think that\u2019s more to do with planning.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will look at appropriate frosting of windows and landscaping around the back. We were just getting into that \u2013 that will still happen.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe remain in close contact with residents. I think everybody in Berwick feels the pain of this, it is very difficult.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I would say is Robertson are a professional outfit. They\u2019re already helping us with support and dialogue with residents.<\/p>\n

\u201cA significant majority of people were in favour of putting it on the current site. It was the same when we got planning consent \u2013 we had unanimous approval from the planning committee. All of these things came back and said that the best site for a mixture of reasons was the original site.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr Kent also addressed questions around the construction of the hospital to this point, and admitted costs were certain to rise with the additional work that needed to be carried out.<\/p>\n

He continued: \u201cThere have been questions about how we got Merit lined up to do this \u2013 there was a full process ran and the use of a framework. They were appointed after a full competitive process.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe feel we have been let down by Merit. We feel that they didn\u2019t run a business as they should have done.<\/p>\n

\u201cRobertson are a large-scale contractor and they have dine a lot of healthcare work. They\u2019re well-known and very well-established.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have got to take some of the work out that Merit has left us with. It\u2019s not complete and not up to the required standard of the scheme.<\/p>\n

\u201cHospitals have a particular standard and we haven\u2019t seen that standard. The hospital doesn\u2019t have to be demolished, but people will see the removal of the internal work and we have go to do something similar with some of the fa\u00e7ade \u2013 there\u2019s elements that need to come off.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou get one chance to build a hospital, we have to do it right and we have to do this properly. This is public money.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have got absolute confidence in the new contractor. They are very established and have a proven track record. We can rebuild from a stable footing, it has to be done properly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere will be added costs. We still need to work some of that through \u2013 the trust are reworking their capital investment and we are hoping for support from NHS England or the Department of Health.\u201d<\/p>\n

The trust\u2019s Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery, Marion Dickson \u2013 who lives in Berwick \u2013 insisted that the new hospital would be an improvement on the one it replaced.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cWe are getting oncology services \u2013 we haven\u2019t had that for a number of years and with cancer targets it is very important that we get that. We want to continue bringing new services in.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s lots more that we can do that we wouldn\u2019t have been able to do a few years ago. We want to bring some other services that are very technological.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to provide local services for local people, but they must be safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Northumbria Healthcare will be holding a public drop-in information session at Berwick Town Hall on Wednesday December 9 and will confirm and share details closer to the time.<\/p>\n

In a statement, Mr Kent added: \u201cWe thank everyone who is involved in progressing our new hospital and special thanks go to our colleagues working in the existing infirmary. They have shown steadfast resilience and continue to provide excellent patient care.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the original Merit Group collapsed into administration, a new construction venture was launched by former directors and investors known as Merit Industrialised Construction. The Local Democracy Reporting Service contacted Merit for comment, but did not receive a response.<\/p>\n

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