HBC Completes The Spark, National Centre for Child Health Technology in Sheffield
Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust with lead contractor HBC Construction
HBC Construction Limited has finalised the development of The Spark, the National Centre for Child Health Technology (NCCHT), located at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park. The £17 million facility, spanning around 43,000 square feet, is scheduled to become operational later this year.
Delivered in collaboration with Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, The Spark is designed to unite global clinical expertise within advanced, technology-enabled environments. The centre aims to revolutionise paediatric healthcare across the NHS in the UK and internationally by fostering innovation in healthcare technologies and facilitating their implementation to enhance outcomes for children and young patients.
Constructed to meet high environmental standards, the building targets a BREEAM Excellent rating, integrating sustainability throughout its design and construction phases. Funding for the project was provided by Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), Sheffield City Council, and Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity, reflecting a significant joint investment in the region’s children’s healthcare future.
The Spark will also support the UK Government’s long-term healthcare objectives, including decentralising care closer to communities, increasing the use of digital technologies, and emphasising prevention alongside treatment.
Lee Powell, Managing Director at HBC, stated: “We are proud to have successfully delivered the National Centre for Child Health Technology. It is a landmark and genuinely transformative project for the UK. Contributing to a facility that has the potential to change lives and improve outcomes for children and young people has been a truly rewarding journey for our team. We’ve built a strong working relationship with the Trust, founded on ambition, flexibility and close collaboration, and have together delivered the scheme to the exceptionally high standards it merits.”
The completion of The Spark coincides with Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust’s 150th anniversary. The Trust is preparing to fully operationalise the centre and broaden its collaboration with partners across healthcare, academia, and industry.
Ruth Brown, Chief Executive at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, commented: “The completion of Sheffield Children’s newest building, The Spark, is an important milestone for children and young people everywhere. As we celebrate 150 years of Sheffield Children’s, we are proud to open a new facility that will transform care today while also becoming the home of the National Centre for Child Health Technology, helping shape the future of children’s healthcare for generations to come. The Spark has been shaped through partnership, ambition and a shared belief that every child deserves the very best healthcare. Working with children and young people, clinicians, colleagues who support our services, and our construction partner, HBC Construction, we have designed and delivered a new space that will help us in our mission to create healthier futures for children and young people.”
Social value was a key focus throughout the construction process. Last summer, representatives from HBC, Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity, SYMCA, Sheffield City Council, and young people involved in the project participated in a steel signing ceremony, inscribing their names, visions, and hopes for the future of healthcare onto the building’s structure.
The NCCHT is set to open during Sheffield Children’s 150th anniversary year, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity.
