PCE Awarded North Devon District Hospital staff and student accommodation project

PCE is pleased to announce it has been awarded the North Devon District Hospital (NDDH) staff and student accommodation project, working with main contractor BAM, project architects Grainge Architects, and the NHS to deliver a four-storey short term on-site accommodation block at NDDH. 

PCE will provide the design, manufacture, and assembly of the new Taw View building using its Hybrid Living system, supporting the delivery of modern, high-quality accommodation for clinical students, visiting and relocating clinicians, and on call medical staff, through a systemised and efficient construction approach. 

Systemised Design Driving Efficiency 

At the core of the project is PCE’s Hybrid Living System Configurator, a digital platform that uses project-specific requirements such as programme, cost targets, carbon objectives, site constraints, and layout needs to shape the most efficient structural solution. 

Established system libraries and project insight are used to configure the structure, applying Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) principles to ensure buildability, manufacturing efficiency, logistics coordination, and streamlined on-site assembly. Key performance criteria including cost, carbon, programme, and quality guide the solution from design through to delivery. 

Kit-of-Parts Solution 

The four-storey accommodation block will utilise a kit-of-parts structural solution including: 

• Precast sandwich panel façade with an etched Reckli pattern finish 
• Solid internal walls 
• Reinforced concrete floor units 
• Prestressed concrete floor units 
• Precast stair and landing units 
• Bathroom pods

Components are manufactured and integrated offsite. This enables high levels of quality, reduced on-site activity, and improved programme certainty. 

Fast and Controlled Delivery 

With a forecasted assembly period of approximately 18 weeks using a single assembly crew, the project demonstrates the speed and productivity that can be achieved through PCE’s systemised DfMA approach and Modern methods of Construction (MMC). 

The North Devon District Hospital project reinforces PCE’s commitment to delivering efficient, high-quality structural solutions that support critical infrastructure and provide certainty from design through to assembly. 

Images courtsey of project architects, Grainge Architects.