Vision for new eye hospital takes shape

A North East healthcare development is entering its final stages of construction.

Sunderland City Council, working with contractor Kier, is delivering the city’s new Eye Hospital, which will replace the long-established Sunderland Eye Infirmary. 

The building’s exterior is now visible as scaffolding comes down, with internal fit-out work set to progress ahead of completion in spring 2026.

Covering 10,400sq metres, the facility will house a 24/7 emergency department for eye injuries, a Retina Unit, surgical theatres, a day unit and a children’s outpatient department.

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust will take possession in time to prepare for its first patients in summer 2026.

Ken Bremner MBE, chief executive of South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are very excited for the big reveal and are looking forward to people seeing what it will look like for the first time.

“We are counting down the days until we can move and treat our first patients.  

“We will be welcoming them into a building designed with their care in mind and it will make a huge difference to our staff as they work in a modern and purpose-built hospital.

“This milestone brings us closer to its launch and shows just how much progress has been made on site so far.”

Dan Doherty, regional director of Kier Construction North & Scotland, added: “Reaching this stage of the build is a proud moment for everyone involved. 

“The Eye Hospital is beginning to take its place in the Sunderland’s evolving cityscape and it’s exciting to see the progress made.

“This is a major milestone in a project that will not only transform ophthalmic care in the region but also plays a key role in Sunderland’s wider regeneration. 

“With the exterior nearing completion, our focus now shifts to the internal fit-out, as we work towards the handover and ensuring the building is ready to support exceptional care from the moment it opens.”

The new healthcare facility will form a key part of the Sunderland Riverside regeneration scheme, alongside other developments set to complete within the next year, including Culture House, the first homes on the Vaux site and Keel Crossing.

Councillor Kevin Johnston, portfolio holder for housing, regeneration and business at Sunderland City Council, added: “As the scaffolding is removed from the Eye Hospital, residents and visitors to the city will begin to get a sense of how this important new building will look when it is complete.

“The whole skyline in Riverside Sunderland is transformed, with Maker & Faber now complete, Vaux Housing progressing rapidly, Culture House closing in on completion, and – of course – our stunning new Keel Crossing bringing both sides of the river together. 

“The scale and rate of change is phenomenal, and it will be great to see – for the first time – this nationally renowned facility, an Eye Hospital that will deliver often life-changing care to people from across the country.”

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