Barnes Hospital and London River Academy
Transforming Barnes Hospital: A new era for health and education in South West London
Willmott Dixon has marked the halfway point of the £30m regeneration of the former Barnes Hospital site in south west London, where it is building a new NHS mental health facility and a specialist school on a single co-located campus.
The scheme is being delivered for South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust and LocatED, an arms-length body of the Department for Education, and was procured through the Southern Construction Framework (SCF). Both buildings are due to open in 2027.
To mark the milestone, Willmott Dixon hosted a summer event with the Trust and LocatED, bringing together project partners, community members, trustees and long-standing supporters of the site to see construction progress at first hand. Guests included the Mayor of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Cllr Nancy Baldwin, and Sarah Olney MP, who spoke about what the development will mean for local health, education and wellbeing provision.
Richard Poulter, managing director for Willmott Dixon in the South:
"Bringing an NHS mental health facility and a school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs together on one site is a forward-looking model, and it sits squarely in two sectors where we have deep experience. Reaching the halfway point with both buildings now taking shape gives the Trust, LocatED, the Beckmead Trust and the local community a clear sense of what these facilities will offer when they open next year. It shows what collaboration between health, education and construction partners can achieve for a community.”
Vanessa Ford, chief executive of South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust:
“We have really enjoyed bringing our community, patients, carers and staff together to celebrate this innovative development. Our transformation of Barnes Hospital is creating modern, therapeutic facilities for generations of patients and carers. More than buildings, it is about creating a new community here at Barnes, bringing our services closer to those we serve, and breaking down the enduring stigma around mental health to empower local people to access care in modern, welcoming environments. Thank you to everyone who is helping to bring this shared vision to life.”
The new NHS building will provide accommodation for a range of community mental health services, which relocated from Barnes to the Trust’s Livingston House facility in Teddington in 2023. When Barnes reopens, the Trust’s expanded community services will operate from both sites, supporting accessibility across the borough. The project forms part of the Trust’s wider £280m programme of investment in mental health facilities across south west London.
The school, London River Academy, will provide 90 places for pupils aged 7 to 19 with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs, and will be operated by The Beckmead Trust.
Jonty Clark, chief executive officer of The Beckmead Trust:
“I was recently fortunate enough to attend the summer celebration event at the former Barnes Hospital site, to see the fabulous progress on both the London River Academy and the NHS adult mental health provision. Both buildings reflect the ambition and necessity identified to support vulnerable young people and adults. The support and encouragement of all the parties involved enrich our excitement at opening this landmark school next year. A big thank you to Willmott Dixon, the NHS, to the local community and the trustees for the dedication and support to get to this stage. I am very much looking forward to seeing the continued progress on site.”
Adrienne Turner, framework manager at SCF:
“Projects such as this demonstrate the power of collaborative frameworks in delivering complex public sector ambitions. The co-location of healthcare and specialist educational facilities reflects a forward-thinking approach to supporting wellbeing and inclusion, while creating modern, sustainable spaces that will serve the community for generations to come. We congratulate all partners involved on reaching this exciting milestone.”
Health and specialist education track record
Barnes adds to Willmott Dixon’s portfolio of healthcare and specialist education projects. In health, the company is building the £140m Emergency Care Building at Derriford Hospital for University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, the first Wave 1 scheme in the New Hospital Programme to begin main construction.
In specialist education, recent projects include Paddock School in Tooting, which created 64 additional SEND places for Wandsworth; the £15.6m Acre Wood Academy in Crowborough for East Sussex County Council, providing 60 specialist places for pupils aged 11 to 16; Hopescourt SEND school in Surrey; and Silverwood School.