Work begins on new multi million-pound mental health facility in Boston

Breaking the ground: Construction work begins at the Norton Lea site in Boston.

Work has begun on a new £41.5 million state-of-the-art mental health inpatient unit in Boston’s London Road.

The new facility, which will be based at the Norton Lea site, is being built by Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT) and will include a new 19-bed mixed-gender adult inpatient ward. The new ward will replace the outdated dormitory style accommodation on the existing Ward 12 at Pilgrim Hospital.

Vacant for the last 16 years, the former Norton Lea site operated as a health facility for people with learning difficulties and mental health problems, and offered a base for drug and alcohol support services. It was demolished two years ago.

An artist's impression of how the new facility will look from the front.

A special ground-breaking ceremony was held at the site recently to mark the start of the construction. Work is expected to be complete at the end of next year, with the facility opening in early 2026.

Alan Pattison, LPFT’s Programme Lead, said: "Being part of breaking ground really brought home that construction of the new centre is commencing. This is a hugely exciting milestone for LPFT and a great opportunity to celebrate all the work it has taken to get to this point.”

A spokesperson for LPFT said: “Members of the project team, including Experts by Experience, and colleagues from Integrated Health Projects (IHP), who have been appointed by the trust to undertake the building works, were in attendance.

“The build is part of a wider national programme to improve mental healthcare services, which also include a new £25million development in Lincoln where two new adult inpatient wards have been built.”

Kevin Lockyer, Trust Chair, added: "I would like to thank everyone who has worked so hard to get us to this stage. The creation of the new ward will improve privacy and dignity standards for people who use our services.

“The building has been co-designed with our Experts by Experience, healthcare professionals and construction experts, so we are confident we will create a therapeutic space for those who receive care from us.”

Feedback from patients, carers and staff has been used to help shape the plans for the site as part of LPFT’s ‘Building Together’ programme.