Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust breaks ground broken on Nottinghamshire’s first purpose-built Community Diagnostic Centre, in Mansfield

Ground has been broken on a major healthcare project which will see Nottinghamshire’s first purpose-built community diagnostic centre built.

Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust — which also runs Newark and King’s Mill Hospitals — celebrated a significant milestone with a "first spade in the ground" ceremony, marking the official start of construction for the Community Diagnostic Centre at Mansfield Community Hospital.

The event was attended by Mansfield MP Steve Yemm, acting chief executive David Selwyn, and members of the wider project team, who came together to commemorate this milestone and highlight the importance of the project for the local community.

The initial groundwork has now begun on the centre to create “state-of-the-art” facilities with the aim of transforming diagnostic care across the area.

Upon its full-scale completion in December 2025, the Community Diagnostic Centre will offer a range of vital diagnostic services, including blood testing, ultrasound, endoscopy, gynaecology treatment, CT and MRI scanning, and consultation rooms.

Dr. James Thomas, Clinical Lead for the Community Diagnostic Centre project, said: “Breaking ground on the permanent facility for Nottinghamshire’s first Community Diagnostic Centre is a huge milestone.

“This purpose-built structure will be a game-changer for patients, reducing referral times and enhancing care by bringing state-of-the-art diagnostics together in one location.

“We are proud to take this step forward, not only in improving healthcare for our communities but also in embracing sustainability and economic growth in the region.”

It follows the approval of revised plans by Mansfield District Council’s Planning Committee in September, subject to a ‘Section 106’ agreement being implemented to secure a £18,400 contribution towards improvements to local bus stop infrastructure, a proposal to secure a 10% net gain of biodiversity in the area and a contribution towards local travel plan monitoring, which has now been finalised.

The project is also using a number of local businesses, providing a boost to the local economy through job creation and investment.

It is also said that the project will have a focus on sustainability, achieving a 90% recycling rate for waste generated onsite during the demolition of the existing building

Approximately 60% of loose items within the old buildings have already been recycled, including racking, filing cabinets, treatment beds, walking aids, and various chairs. Additionally, furniture within the welfare area has been reused for the duration of the site works.

The brick and block materials from the demolished structure have been crushed to form the foundation of the new buildings, saving over 1,500 tons of imported material — the combined weight of approximately 125 standard double-decker buses.

Hazardous waste was minimised through an environmental clean of items removed from asbestos enclosures, and joists from the old building have been repurposed to create foundations for site cabins, while paving slabs from the demolition area are being reused in the temporary site setup works.

The Trust say they are eager to pay homage to the heritage of the site — from its origins as The Mansfield Workhouse, to its evolution into Victoria Hospital, and later becoming part of the NHS as Mansfield Community Hospital.

To honour this legacy, the Trust will create a permanent display in the new building that will feature images, timelines, information, and tales of the people who have shaped its past.

Carl Miller, clinical deployment lead for the project at Sherwood Forest Hospitals, said: “We are inviting the local community to contribute to this tribute by sharing their memories, photographs, or newspaper clippings about the site.

“By including these personal experiences, we aim to ensure that the new Community Diagnostic Centre reflects the shared history of the area. If you have anything to share, please get in touch.”

People are asked to direct their heritage contributions and queries to: sfh-tr.mansfieldcdc@nhs.net