CONSTRUCTION specialist Yorkon has won a £7.5m contract to design and build a three-storey hospital unit in West Yorkshire.

The project will provide healthcare facilities for an additional 8,000 inpatients to be cared for by Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust.

The scheme is believed to be the UK's largest single hospital development built using modular construction.

Scheduled for completion in the autumn, the 4,950 sq m facility will accommodate three 28-bed wards and six general operating theatres, with a full height glazed link to the main Bradford Royal Infirmary, and three ambulance bays.

It will be used for high demand specialities such as orthopaedics, general surgery, plastic surgery and urology.

The building will be manufactured off-site at Yorkon's 60-acre production centre in York and lifted into position. It will be clad in York stone to complement the surrounding architecture.

David Jackson, chief executive of Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "This development is a major step for healthcare in Bradford. The new building will create much needed capacity to help us ease the pressure on inpatient services.

"The modular approach will significantly reduce construction time, bringing benefits to thousands of patients who are waiting for surgery, while also minimising disruption to patient care during the building process."

Yorkon has become an increasingly popular option for the health sector looking to expand their estates without busting budgets.

Keith Blanshard, director and general manager of Yorkon, said: "We are experiencing a huge increase in demand for off-site construction from both public and private health service providers, and expect this to continue to rise.

"Speed of construction is a necessity for healthcare schemes, where it is essential to bring the building into use as quickly as possible to help reduce waiting times."