THE ROYAL Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (RCHT) has announced the appointment of a new multi-disciplinary design team to lead the design development of the Women and Children’s Hospital for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, part of the government’s New Hospital Programme.

Following a competitive process, the contract has been awarded to a consortium led by TODD Architects, in collaboration with White Arkitekter, Lavigne Lonsdale, Arup and Turley. The team brings a wealth of UK and international experience in healthcare design, sustainability and modern construction methods.

This milestone follows the strategic decision earlier in 2025 to pursue an alternative, more accessible location on the existing hospital site in Truro. The facility could now be built to the west of the site, close to the existing Trelawny Wing main entrance, after moving the existing microbiology service to the centre of the site to create a new pathology hub.

TODD Architects have previously worked on paediatric and maternity facilities at the award-winning Omagh Hospital, while White Arkitekter’s work includes the award-winning Cambridge Children’s Hospital and Queen Silvia Children’s Hospital in Sweden.

Lavigne Lonsdale is a Cornwall-based architectural practice with landscape and urban design specialisms. Already familiar with the Royal Cornwall Hospital having designed the Critical Care Healing Garden, its team will ensure the new buildings are sensitively integrated into the local environment, enhancing green infrastructure and public realm.

With the design team now on board, RCHT is ready to proceed at pace to create the new designs for both the Women and Children’s Hospital and the microbiology/pathology hub that will enable the programme team to deliver a refreshed Outline Business Case ready for New Hospital Programme and government approvals from spring 2026.

Design team lead Matthew Hird, head of healthcare at TODD Architects, said: “We are proud to have been appointed to deliver this important and visionary project for Cornwall.”