Brunel Building (Bristol)

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In 2005, a major expansion was planned which included moving most services from Frenchay Hospital to the Southmead site, with Frenchay being downgraded to a Community Hospital. The project was finished in late 2013 and opened in April 2014.

Full approval for the project was given by the NHS South West board in January 2009. In 2009, it was announced that Carillion was to design and build a new building, at a cost of £430 million, bringing all departments and services under one roof. Called the Brunel building, after Bristol engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, it has 800 beds, 24 theatres, patient gardens, a public square, a helipad and visitors' multi-storey car park.

The accident and emergency department at Frenchay closed on 19 May 2014 and reopened at Southmead the next day.

In early 2014, the second phase of the hospital redevelopment began with the demolition of the old main building to enable construction work to begin on a Brunel Building extension, together with enlarging the area in front of the hospital. The extension includes a new multi-storey car park for patients and visitors, a cycle centre with storage for 300 bikes, more shops, changing and shower facilities for staff and a community arts space.