MADE in York: Headed for Bradford - a £7.4 million three-storey healthcare scheme for Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust.

The project, being built by Yorkon, the Portakabin subsidiary at its 60-acre production centre in York and later craned into position as 123 steel-framed modules each 14 metres long, is believed to be the UK's largest single hospital scheme built using modular construction.

By the time it is all in place this autumn, the new 4,950 sq metre facility will enable up to 8,000 extra inpatients to be cared for in Bradford each year.

It will consist of three new modern 28-bed wards and six general operating theatres, with a full height glazed link to the main hospital and three ambulance bays.

The contract is a symptom of a growing demand for off-site construction by both public and private health service providers.

Keith Blanshhard, director and general manager of Yorkon, said: "We expect this demand to continue to rise.

"Speed of construction is a necessity for healthcare schemes, where it is essential to bring the building into use as quickly as possible to help reduce waiting times.

"Modular building greatly reduces disruption on site - a key benefit for hospitals where sites are usually very busy and space is restricted. "There is also a real issue about the shortage of skilled labour in the construction industry and whether it can meet demand from the NHS.

"Because we use a highly- skilled and trained workforce at our production centre in York, our projects are not affected by this major problem."

When finished there will be one major clue as to the building's beginnings. It will be clad in York stone.

Updated: 08:47 Wednesday, April 02, 2003