© Murphy Philipps 2025
Luton and Dunstable University Hospital (LDUH) is an acute hospital with a strong reputation for patient safety, clinical outcomes, and financial stability. It is one of two owned by Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Murphy Philipps were appointed by the trust to develop a 10-year strategic masterplan to support their long term investment programme. The primary objectives of the plan are to:
Working closely with Clinical Planners and the Trust’s Steering Group, the clinical requirements were formulated into a strategic brief. Alongside this, Murphy Philipps collected data and carried out surveys of existing accommodation to establish potential areas of demolition, redevelopment, refurbishment and decant.
The Development Control Plan (DCP) for the site was developed through a series of user groups focused on 3 primary areas:
Emerging proposals were continually reviewed for economic viability.
The DCP is split into phases each of approx. 3-5 years duration. The first phase comprises the Acute Services Building, New Ward Block and associated Energy Centre all of which have also been designed by Murphy Philipps. Clearing the site involved 18 decant and enabling schemes including improved car parking over a 12-month period. There was also design and construction of a new energy centre to support future load requirements of the new development.
Working closely with Clinical Planners and the Trust’s Steering Group, the clinical requirements were formulated into a strategic brief.
Alongside this, Murphy Philipps collected data and carried out surveys of existing accommodation to establish potential areas of demolition, redevelopment, refurbishment and decant.
The Development Control Plan (DCP) for the site was developed through a series of user groups focused on 3 primary areas.
Emerging proposals were continually reviewed for economic viability.
The DCP is split into phases each of approx. 3-5 years duration. The first phase comprises the Acute Services Building, New Ward Block and associated Energy Centre all of which have also been designed by Murphy Philipps.
Clearing the site involved 18 decant and enabling schemes including improved car parking over a 12-month period. There was also design and construction of a new energy centre to support future load requirements of the new development.
The project delivers a strategic development plan that is intrinsically linked to the Trusts long term investment plan and Net Zero targets.
The DCP has helped in securing funding, through identifying priority investment projects, with strategic business cases enabling those that are most needed to be carried out as soon as funds are available.
The plan provides a blueprint to enable clinical services to be maintained whilst being upgraded. This gives a positive benefit of reduced planning time when individual projects commence.
