The St Davids Community hospital was the subject of a PFI bid, incorporating a large portfolio of sites in and around the Cardiff area. They included the Old St David’s Hospital site and Lansdowne Hospital site, which were all subject to proposals to produce the best possible deal for Cardiff and the Vale NHS Trust. Planning permission was gained for a 100 bedroom Community hospital and flats on the existing St David’s hospital site, whilst the Lansdowne hospital site was allocated for housing. The bid was successful and the design of the hospital was progressed on the basis of the following provision;
· A 100 bedroomed EMI Ward · An EMI Day Centre · A Chilren’s Day Unit · An OPD · A Rehabilitation Department · Radiology Department · Dental and Chiropody Department · Occupational Therapy · Teaching Research Facility · Rehabilitation · Catering · Staff/Administration.
The hospital was designed over two storeys, but every effort was made to reduce the scale of the building to a human scale. The use of brickwork and slate pitched roofing assisted in providing an aesthetic which people could relate to.