Plans to replace the University Hospital of North Tees could carry a price tag of between £1 billion and £2 billion, a senior NHS executive has told local councillors as the Stockton hospital approaches what officials describe as the end of its life.
Options under consideration
Matt Neligan, chief strategy officer at University Hospital Tees, set out a range of possible approaches during a Tees Valley health scrutiny meeting on 23 July. Those include rebuilding on the existing Stockton site or constructing a new hospital elsewhere, with some services possibly consolidated with James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.
Two sites were described as the "most live" options: the current North Tees location in Stockton, and the care and health innovation zone at the Tees railway marshalling yards.
“We’ve got some really quite challenging estates.”
The comment accompanied images shown to councillors of deteriorating structures at the Stockton site, underscoring concerns about the condition of the estate.
Maintenance backlog and short-term fixes
Officials say the hospital’s maintenance backlog stands at £126 million for the Stockton estate. That backlog has risen over the last decade despite roughly £100 million having been spent on repairs and temporary works.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Current maintenance backlog (Stockton) | £126m |
| Recent repairs and fixes spent | £100m |
| Projected backlog by 2033 | £300m |
Projections supplied to the meeting indicate the backlog could increase to around £300 million by 2033 if structural issues are not addressed. Councillors were told that continuing to defer action is not considered a viable option.
Site politics and local reaction
Discussion at the meeting touched on previously proposed locations, including Wynyard, which some councillors said is no longer being considered. The possibility of concentrating services in a single, larger site was raised as an option to improve resilience and modernise facilities, although detailed plans and decisions remain to be made.
- Senior NHS officer gave a broad estimate of £1–2bn for a new hospital.
- The Stockton estate is described as ageing and increasingly costly to maintain.
- Options include rebuilding on-site, moving to the marshalling yards innovation zone, or consolidating services regionally.
Any move to replace or relocate the hospital would carry significant implications for local health services, transport links and the workforce. At this stage the figures presented are high-level estimates rather than final budgets or committed plans.
Further decisions will involve NHS leaders, Tees Valley partners and councillors as they weigh the trade-offs between immediate repair costs, long-term capital investment and service continuity for patients across Stockton-on-Tees and the wider Tees Valley.
Local residents and stakeholders will be looking for clear timetables, funding routes and assurances about how care will be maintained while any major redevelopment or relocation takes place.
