Healthier Futures: Green Light for New Leighton Hospital
Ryder Architecture shares planning approval for the new Leighton Hospital in Crewe, which forms part of the first wave of the government’s New Hospitals Programme.
The new Leighton Hospital was approved planning consent by Cheshire East Council’s strategic planning board on 9 June 2026 after proposals were submitted in December 2025.
Working alongside WSP, Ryder has been supporting Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the wider project team, including Mott MacDonald, Gleeds and Greengage, to develop this significant project.
The development will replace the existing RAAC hospital, providing a new hospital of approximately 110,000sqm within a live operational hospital setting. The new Leighton Hospital is at the forefront of adoption of New Hospitals Programme’s Hospital 2.0 templates, technical requirements and application guidelines and will be an exemplar in utilising basic building blocks to develop a responsive design that is sensitive to its site’s opportunities and challenges.
Paul Bell, principal at Ryder, said: “The whole project team has shown outstanding commitment and collaboration to reach this stage. We’re excited to continue working with Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, New Hospital Programme and the wider team to deliver this important project for the people of Mid Cheshire and beyond.”
The project is already making positive difference in the community and is set to create a lasting local impact. Ryder, together with our design team partners, is implementing a range of social value commitments.
As part of this commitment, we recently hosted an active travel STEM session with students from Crewe Engineering and Design UTC. The workshop gave students the opportunity to take part in a live research project exploring how active travel can be integrated into the design of future hospitals.
We are also providing 100 hours of expert support for the Trust’s active travel research paper, delivering 20 weeks of meaningful work experience, and championing local SMEs and VCSEs through volunteering and financial contributions.
Read more in the Healthier Futures programme report.