Yeovil District Hospital
Community Diagnostic Centre
Thank you for taking the time to find out more about our proposal to develop a new diagnostic centre at Yeovil District Hospital. We previously had a planning application approved to develop a similar building on the same site, however this project did not progress.
We invite you to view our updated plans and welcome your feedback on the project and any suggestions you may have by filling in the feedback form at the bottom of this page.
Background
We want patients to have quick access to diagnostic tests that inform their treatment. Since we opened the Taunton Diagnostic Centre in the west of Somerset in September 2021, waiting times for diagnostic tests have fallen considerably. Now we want to provide the same access to diagnostic tests in the east of the county.
The new state-of-the-art diagnostic centre would be open 7 days per week and deliver:
- Shorter waiting times
- Access to the latest equipment
- More space for appointments
- A modern design that facilitates the best patient care
Our proposal
We are putting forward plans for a new community diagnostic centre adjacent to Yeovil District Hospital. It would be a purpose-built facility providing diagnostic tests and outpatient appointments.
The new centre would offer:
- Ultrasound
- MRI
- CT
- X-Ray
- Endoscopy services
- Audiology
- Cardiology
- Outpatient appointments.
Site location
We propose to build the stand-alone Yeovil Diagnostic Centre on land adjacent to the newly opened modular theatre. In 2017 the Trust secured planning permission to create a new clinical building on the same part of the hospital site, however these plans did not progress. We are now working with planners at Somerset Council to revise designs and create the Yeovil Diagnostic Centre.
The building would be separate from other hospital buildings and located close to the entrance of Yeovil District Hospital, off Higher Kingston Road.
This image depicts the location of the building in relation to the current hospital campus.
Site plan
Floorplans
Please scroll through the three floorplans below to see the initial internal floor layout of the building.
Community Diagnostic Centre - ground floor
Community Diagnostic Centre - first floor
Community Diagnostic Centre - second floor
Example materials
Architectural cladding panel system
Cladding panel boards, supported off light gauge steel stand off brackets, with flashing trims where appropriate. Provided in a range of colours (Off white two tone & Grey cladding panel samples shown below) to compliment the fenestrations and rainwater goods.
External doors and windows
Fenestration frames to be coloured Anthracite Grey RAL 7016 similar to the image on the right.
Brick cladding system
Traditional masonry façade, in stretcher bond with bucket handle joints, proposed to be in a buff multi brick.
Rainwater goods
Finished in Anthracite Grey RAL 7016, to match fenestration frames, and cladding trims / flashing.
Outline designs
This image demonstrates how the new community diagnostic centre could look. These designs are likely to evolve as we work with planners to create a facility which is suitable for the surrounding area.
The building in context
This image demonstrates how the new stand-alone community diagnostic centre would fit within the current built environment at the hospital.
Sustainability
Net Zero Embodied Carbon
The proposed building would be a high-performing and sustainable, low-energy new build development, designed to achieve net zero embodied carbon (carbon emissions emitted producing a building’s materials, their transport and installation on site as well as their disposal at end of life). The building would have a positive impact on the environment and be designed with consideration of appropriate parts of the Somerset Design Vision and Green Plan 2022-2025.
BREEAM
BREEAM is the world’s leading science-based suite of validation and certification systems for sustainable built environment. The building is being designed to achieve BREEAM Excellent for healthcare which would put the completed building in the top 10% of best-performing new build, non-domestic buildings in the UK.
The building would be thermally efficient and utilise roof-mounted photovoltaic panels to meet part of its energy demand.
Biodiversity Net Gain
Biodiversity net gain (BNG) is a strategy to develop land and contribute to the recovery of nature. The development is targeting a minimum 10% biodiversity net gain compared to the pre-development baseline which would ensure the habitat for wildlife on site is in a better state than it was before development.
Your questions
What is the site currently used for?
The site is currently used as a compound for building contractors. It also contains some garages which have previously been utilised for storage, but these are in poor condition and not fit for continued use long term.
Do these plans mean that staffing and patient levels will increase and, if so, will this lead to fresh parking problems?
The centre will provide more than 70,000 diagnostic tests and outpatient appointments per year. Prior to the building of the new multi-storey car park a masterplanning exercise was undertaken, which assessed current and future demand for parking at the hospital. The car park was then built with sufficient capacity to allow for a new building offering increased services to be delivered on-site.
What is the timeline for these plans? How soon do you expect work to begin?
We intend to submit a planning application this month. If it is approved, we plan to begin building work in spring 2024 and open the centre in winter 2024.
Will there be noisy works and if so, how long would these go on for?
There will inevitably be noise associated with the construction work, although the extent and type of this noise will depend on the foundation and structural frame solution chosen for the project (this will be decided once the ground investigation work is completed). Whichever solution is agreed upon, all work will comply with environmental health and any planning restrictions which include acceptable levels of noise. For example, it is not unusual to agree that noisy works are carried out after a stated time of day for sites near residential areas. We will only employ contractors that are part of the Considerate Contractor scheme.
Will the Red Lion underpass be closed as a result of building works?
Red Lion underpass is currently closed to due to works on the Breast Unit, which will overlap with construction beginning on the new community diagnostic centre. We anticipate that when the Breast Unit is complete we will be able to reopen the underpass. Any subsequent closures would be temporary and for as short a temp as possible to reduce inconvenience for the local community.
Your thoughts
Thank you for taking the time to find out more about plans for the Yeovil Diagnostic Centre. This page is a place to view plans, learn more about the type of building proposed for the site and to find out how the project is progressing.
Planning permission will be submitted by the end of August 2023. Any comments submitted during the consultation period will be passed on to Somerset Council.