The burial of a time capsule marked the start of a £20 million project by leading UK housing provider Sanctuary Group to build affordable accommodation for staff at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.

Friday’s ceremony took place at the hospital, where Sanctuary has enlisted Bedford-based regional contractor SDC to build four blocks of one, two and three-bed apartments, providing 292 new en suite bed spaces for junior doctors, nurses and other hospital staff. This has made possible following the purchase of land from Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The day to day management of the new accommodation, including room allocation, issuing of tenancies, rent collection, maintenance and cleaning, will be handled by Sanctuary Management Services (SMS), the facilities management services subsidiary of Sanctuary Group.

Sanctuary Group has already refurbished 791 units of accommodation on the site, which are also managed by SMS.

Sanctuary’s Commercial Director Hilary Gardner said: “We are thrilled to be cementing the strong relationship we have had with the Trust since 1997 by providing more quality, affordable accommodation to meet the needs of its key workers.

“This event was a fitting way to preserve the history of all the partners involved for future generations to discover.”

Dr Gareth Goodier, Chief Executive of Cambridge University Hospitals, said: "We're pleased that work is underway as it's important that staff have access to affordable housing in easy reach of the hospital. Our time capsule contained the latest issue of the hospital magazine and also a memory stick, containing documents such as the annual report. We hope whoever finds it in the future has the technology to open it and learn more about Addenbrooke's as it was in 2009."

2 June 2009