A lead contractor has been appointed to oversee construction of the new £26m state-of-the-art Christie at Macclesfield cancer centre.

VINCI Construction UK is one of the partners in Integrated Health Projects, which is also the lead constructor for The Christie's new £150m cancer research centre in Withington.

Plans for the centre, in the grounds of Macclesfield District General Hospital, were approved by East Cheshire Council in September 2019 and demolition started in February 2020, just weeks before the coronavirus lockdown.

The completion date was originally set for autumn 2021, but the pandemic delayed the start of construction.

The two-storey building is now scheduled for completion at the end of next year, ready for patients in 2022.

Nearby residents have been informed that work is getting underway and, as part of the Considerate Constructors Scheme, VINCI Construction UK has committed to minimising disruption as much as possible during the project.

Dr Andrew Sykes, director of clinical oncology and clinical lead for The Christie at Macclesfield, said: "Our focus for the last three months has rightly been on continuing to provide safe and effective cancer care to our patients and in supporting patients who are worried about COVID-19.

"But with the first wave of the pandemic now behind us, we can once again move forward with our ambitious plans for a new cancer centre in Macclesfield.

"Many patients currently travel to The Christie in South Manchester for their appointments, with long journey times putting tremendous pressure on patients and their families at an already stressful time.

"The new centre will deliver cancer care to the highest Christie standards, but closer to where patients live.

"We also hope that as things start to get back to normal in our communities that fundraising for this vital project across Macclesfield and East Cheshire will pick up again.

"We still need to raise around £20m towards the overall cost of this project."

Many patients from Macclesfield currently spend hours travelling for treatment at The Christie in Manchester - some receiving radiotherapy may have to make the trip every day for up to six weeks.

The Christie at Macclesfield will transform cancer care, bringing together essential cancer services into one purpose-built unit providing local specialist access to radiotherapy, chemotherapy, holistic support and information services, outpatient care

and palliative care.

More than 4,000 chemotherapy treatments will be delivered a year in addition to a wider range of clinical trials, giving more patients better access to new treatments as they become available.

The Christie charity is aiming to raise £23m towards the cost of the new cancer centre in the grounds of Macclesfield District General Hospital - with the difference coming from the NHS.

Many patients from Macclesfield and beyond currently spend hours travelling for treatment at The Christie in Manchester - some receiving radiotherapy may have to make the trip every day for up to six weeks.

The Christie at Macclesfield will transform cancer care in East Cheshire, bringing together essential cancer services into one purpose-built unit providing local specialist access to radiotherapy, chemotherapy, holistic support and information services, outpatient care and palliative care.

More than 4,000 chemotherapy treatments will be delivered a year in addition to a wider range of clinical trials, giving more patients better access to new treatments as they become available.

The Christie charity is aiming to raise £23m towards the cost of the new cancer centre with the difference coming from the NHS.

More details of how you can support the fundraising appeal are available here.