Groundbreaking ceremony held for £24.9m healthcare facility at former home of Boston United
A groundbreaking ceremony has officially marked the start of a £24.9 million project to build a healthcare facility on the derelict, former home of Boston United.
The event – held earlier today (Friday, March 13) – signals the start of 20 weeks of demolition work at York Street to make way for a community diagnostic centre (CDC).
CDCs provide a wide range of diagnostic tests, such as CT scans, MRI scans, ultrasounds and x-rays.
They are separate from hospitals and can be found in a variety of settings, including shopping centres and universities.
Advantages of CDCs include shorter waiting times, a reduced risk of cancelled appointments (which can happen when more urgent cases take priority), and the easing of pressure on acute hospital sites.
The plans are being brought forward by Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals NHS Group (LCHG).
LCHG has partnered with construction specialist MTX Contracts to design and build the Boston CDC. MTX previously built the CDCs at Lincoln and Skegness, and is currently working to extend the Lincoln centre to provide additional facilities.
The groundbreaking was carried out by LCHG chief executive Prof Karen Dunderdale, Leader of Boston Borough Council Coun Dale Broughton, MTX Contracts representative Chris Dodd, and the Lincolnshire CDC programme estates director Alistair Nelson.
Once the ground is cleared, construction will begin on the building, which will include two new MRI scanners, two new CT scanners, X-ray facilities, three ultrasound rooms, a DEXA scanner, a further eight consultation rooms and dedicated space for audiology services.
It is expected Boston CDC will support up to 70,000 patients with diagnostic testing and other clinics each year.
Prof Karen Dunderdale said: “Our teams have been working for a considerable amount of time behind the scenes to realise our ambition to have a community diagnostic centre in Boston.
“It is a privilege to be a part of this improvement, which not only brings additional testing capacity to support our patients in this part of Lincolnshire, but also transforms a space in the community which has sat empty and unused for some time. We are excited to see this project take shape over the coming year.”
The Boston CDC is scheduled to open to patients in spring 2027.
More about the plans for the Boston CDC can be found here HERE.