£30 million Barnes Hospital transformation moves closer to delivering new mental health and education provision

Richmond residents are a step closer to benefiting from modern mental health services and a new specialist school, as work continues at pace on the £30 million transformation of Barnes Hospital.

One year after construction officially began, Richmond Council has welcomed the significant progress being made on the landmark redevelopment, which will deliver a state-of-the-art NHS outpatient mental health facility alongside a new 90-place specialist school for children with social, emotional and mental health needs.

Speaking on site, Councillor Julia Cambridge, Chair of the Education and Children’s Services Committee, said: "It’s fantastic to see how much progress has been made in just a year.

"This development represents a major investment in Richmond’s children and young people, creating specialist school places that will help more families access the support they need closer to home. We're proud to be working alongside our NHS partners to deliver facilities that will benefit our community for years to come."

The new facilities are being delivered by South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust and the Department for Education. Together they will bring community mental health services back to Barnes in purpose-built accommodation while expanding specialist education provision within the borough.

Vanessa Ford, Chief Executive of South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, said: "We have really enjoyed bringing our community, patients, carers and staff together today to celebrate this innovative development.

"Our transformation of Barnes Hospital is creating modern, therapeutic facilities for generations of patients and carers. More than buildings, it is about creating a new community here at Barnes, bringing our services closer to those we serve, and breaking down the enduring stigma around mental health to empower local people to access care in modern, welcoming environments. Thank you to everyone who is helping to bring this shared vision to life."

In June last year, Richmond councillors joined health, education and other project partners to break ground on the £30 million redevelopment, marking the start of construction on the new mental health facility and specialist school.

Councillors, NHS leaders, patients, carers, community representatives and project partners came together again at Barnes Hospital yesterday to celebrate a year of progress on the site. The event marked the latest milestone in the transformation, with demolition of the former unused buildings completed and construction now progressing. The Mayor of Richmond upon Thames Councillor Nancy Baldwin, and Richmond Park MP Sarah Olney, also attended and joined partners in marking the occasion.

Councillor Piers Allen, Chair of the Adult Social Services, Health and Housing Committee, added: "This is an important milestone for Richmond. Modern facilities play a vital role in delivering high-quality mental health care, and it’s exciting to see this investment taking shape. The redevelopment will help ensure residents can access excellent care in facilities specifically designed around their needs."

The redevelopment forms part of wider investment in Richmond’s health infrastructure, with the new facilities scheduled to open in autumn 2027.

Operated by the Beckmead Trust, the specialist school will provide 90 places for children with social, emotional and mental health needs, helping more families access specialist education within the borough.