Roadmap to a new hospital
North Devon faces significant health and care challenges and NDDH urgently needs renewal. To meet these challenges - and reduce health inequalities - we need sustained investment in our hospital.
Many of our buildings are outdated and no longer support the modern NHS services local people rely on. Limited space, ageing facilities and poor layouts are making it harder for our teams to deliver the high-quality care our communities deserve.
Our future hospital plans are ready to move at pace. We have a clear delivery pathway, meaning we can act quickly as government funding becomes available.
The Our Future Hospital (OFH) programme began in 2020 and is being delivered in phases. Each stage depends on the Trust securing external capital funding.
A map showing the different phases of the Our Future Hospital programme
Phase One – Enabling works
Phase One is already underway. Construction began in March 2026 on urgently needed modern, on-site accommodation for staff and students. The new Taw View residences are funded by £22.7 million from the government's New Hospital Programme, secured through OFH. They will help us attract and retain the skilled staff our hospital depends on.
We have secured the first stage of funding to develop the detailed designs and plans for a new twin MRI suite- an important milestone and shows our clear commitment to delivering this improvement.
We still need national funding for the actual build and will continue working with the New Hospital Programme to secure the capital investment required. Once delivered, the new suite will link the current hospital building and future clinical developments and provide patients with more resilient diagnostics, shorter waits and reduced travel.
This phase also prepares the site for our future main clinical building. Key enabling works include:
- New ring road — improving access and preparing the site layout
- Demolition of old staff residences — clearing space for future development
- Relocating the staff car park — creating the footprint needed for the new clinical build
To complete this phase, we must secure further external funding. The OFH team continues to prepare and submit the required bids.
Phase Two – New clinical buildings
Phase Two will deliver a new, modern clinical building, which will include:
- Fit for purpose operating theatres
- A new intensive care unit
- Improved women’s and children’s services
The new buildings will be multilevel, easier to navigate and designed with several entrances, making it simpler for patients and visitors to find their way around. They will be flexible enough to adapt to future needs, reduce our maintenance backlog and support high-quality care for more people across northern Devon. This investment will improve access, safety and experience for patients, staff and visitors.
By replacing outdated facilities and fragmented layouts, the clinical hub will give staff the modern environment they need to deliver high‑quality, integrated care and ensure the hospital can continue meeting the needs of our communities.
Phase Three - Reconfiguration of remaining estate
This will include refurbishment of vacated space from the main, original hospital building.