Drainage problems delay £15m Alltwen Hospital

The £15m Alltwen Community Hospital development near Porthmadog in Wales is running 12 months late as Allenbuild struggles to resolve drainage problems.

The hospital was due to open in March this year but a series of setbacks has delayed handover until next spring.

Problems with the hospital’s ventilation and hot water circulation systems put the project back earlier this year. Now faults in the drainage system running under the hospital have surfaced.

The firm has been ordered to carry out remedial works, delaying the hospital handover by another 12 weeks.

 Martin Jones, chief executive of the North West Wales NHS Trust, said he was “very disappointed” by the latest delay.

“However the Trust does not believe it can accept handover of the hospital, while doubts as to the effectiveness of the drainage system remained.

"We have therefore decided that the contractor should be asked to fully rectify the deficiencies before we can accept the construction process as complete.”

Allenbuild was unavailable for comment.