4 September 2025
Plans submitted for Newcastle’s £30m cancer treatment and research centre
Plans for the Sir Bobby Robson Institute, a new cancer treatment and research centre at Freeman Hospital, have moved a step closer with Robertson Construction North East supporting Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust through the planning process.
The planned building is expected to pioneer ground-breaking innovation in cancer treatment and significantly increase the number of clinical trials available for patients across the North East, north Cumbria and North Yorkshire.
Construction of the new institute will be funded by The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, part of Newcastle Hospitals Charity, with the Trust overseeing its operation.
Main contractor Robertson Construction North East was appointed through the ProCure23 framework and has been working with project partners since January, providing pre-construction and design services from RIBA Stage 1 through to Stage 4 of technical design to help bring the institute to life.
Working alongside P+HS Architects, Robertson has supported the Trust and the charity in developing a design inspired by the molecular structure of a hexagon – a key feature of Rubraca, the first ‘Geordie cancer drug’.
The new institute would bring together the current Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre and the hospital’s cancer and blood disorders research teams, providing a dedicated, three-storey building equipped with the latest technology. This would allow for a 50% increase in clinical research activity over five years, helping specialist cancer research teams deliver more complex and larger trials, with benefits for patients across the region and potentially worldwide.
Neil Kennedy, Regional Managing Director, Robertson Construction North East, commented: “This milestone marks the next step in delivering a facility that will have a profound impact on cancer treatment and research across both the North East and globally. Our team has been supporting the Trust with pre-construction and design to make sure it is ready to move seamlessly into delivery if approved.
“Having already delivered a number of high-quality projects with the Trust, we have seen the positive impact they bring, and I’m confident this proposed project will also make a real difference for patients, staff and the wider community.”
A significant £20m has already been raised by Sir Bobby Robson Foundation supporters to fund the project, with a fundraising campaign now set to launch to secure the final £10m. If planning permission is granted, construction is scheduled to begin in spring next year, with opening planned for 2028.
