Continuing our week of ‘Structural’ Christmas Crackers, we now turn to our Leeds Studio for their choice for 2019.

With the climate emergency we are facing, our focus on the need to reduce waste, so we are reusing not just using and making the most of existing assets instead of starting from scratch, it seems appropriate that the Leeds cracker is the repurposing of Cookridge Hospital as an Extra Care Living facility.

The former Ida Wing at Cookridge Hospital in Leeds is an existing Grade II listed building. Designed by Chorley and Connon, it dates from 1887 and the building originally formed part of Cookridge Convalescent Hospital, before being taken over by the NHS in 1952. It was then converted to a ‘High Energy Radiation Centre’ providing treatment of tumours and the building ultimately became Leeds Cancer Hospital, a major regional centre for radiotherapy.

Since 2008 when the hospital closed, the building has laid derelict until it was purchased by Housing 21 for re-development as an Extra Care Living Facility in 2018.

Working with contractor Esh Construction and architect Langtry Langton, we have undertaken a careful and comprehensive process of assessment surveys, design of temporary works, detailed opening up works and sympathetic structural strengthening works. The building had suffered significant deterioration of the load-bearing timber structure and roofs during the 20 years it had been vacant. The east wing had also been partially destroyed by fire in more recent times. Our work has meant we have been able to save the majority of the historic structure, allowing the building to be re-configured and re-purposed for the second time in its 130 year history. This project is a great example of our love of working on heritage projects, listed buildings and designing solutions for repurposing buildings to meet future needs and breathing new life into them to benefit their local community.