Green light for £30M Bobby Robson Cancer Centre at Freeman

Newcastle Hospitals and The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, part of Newcastle Hospitals Charity, are building the world-class facility, which will benefit patients from the North East and beyond.

Formal planning permission has been granted for building work to start next to the
existing Northern Centre for Cancer Care at Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.
The three-storey facility – to be called The Sir Bobby Robson Institute – will bring
together the current Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre and the
hospital’s cancer and blood disorders (oncology and haematology) research team.
The building will provide much-needed additional capacity to increase the number of
cancer clinical trials taking place in Newcastle, allowing a 50% increase in activity,
over five years.

This means Newcastle’s specialist cancer research teams will be able to pioneer
more ground-breaking innovation in cancer treatment, through running a higher
number of complex and larger trials.

While the institute’s catchment area will cover around 3.5million people living in the
north east, north Cumbria and north Yorkshire, the work carried out there could
benefit people around the globe.

Construction is being funded by The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, part of
Newcastle Hospitals Charity. With £20 million raised so far by supporters, a
fundraising campaign is now ramping up to raise the final £10million.

Commenting on the news that building work has the green light to begin, Professor
Ruth Plummer, consultant medical oncologist at Newcastle Hospitals and director of
the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre, said:

“Demand for more research into new and innovative cancer treatments is rising,
globally and locally.

“At Newcastle Hospitals we have skilled and experienced teams who are already
carrying out ground-breaking cancer clinical trials.

“Over the years, we have become increasingly busy and current limitations mean our
space to conduct more trials is restricted so, frustratingly, the team cannot accept
some research programmes or requests.

“I’m absolutely thrilled that we’ve been given permission to build this new facility,
which will allow us to provide timely access to clinical trials for many more eligible
cancer patients, including those who have exhausted current treatments.
“More research trials will inevitably lead to better health outcomes and improve the
treatment we are able to provide for cancer patients both now and in the future.”
Teri Bayliss, director at Newcastle Hospitals Charity, said:

“This project will be the proud culmination of a phenomenal fundraising effort and,
alongside the many cancer patients who will benefit from the scientific advances
made by the trials team, we are extremely grateful to all those who are supporting
the project.

“We are particularly indebted to those organisations and individuals who have shown
leadership support for our fundraising campaign, including the Sir James Knott Trust,
NorthStandard and Esh Group.

“We hope that others will join our continued efforts early in the new year when we
have a match funding challenge for the next £1m raised. This project and the
leadership behind it is inspired by Sir Bobby’s dream for people in our region to have
access to world-class cancer treatment".

Construction on the institute will begin early 2026, with opening planned for 2028.
If you’re interested in fundraising or donating, please Join Sir Bobby’s “greatest ever
team” - Newcastle Hospitals Charity