The construction specialist has entered a new stage in the delivery of the largest Community Diagnostic Centre in mid and south Essex, using an MMC-led construction programme.
Construction of the new Pitsea Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) has reached a significant stage, with 159 structural steel modules arriving on site and being installed in the town centre development.
The £54m project is being delivered by MTX Contracts using a hybrid modern methods of construction (MMC) strategy. Large sections of the two-storey building have been manufactured offsite while enabling and foundation works have progressed simultaneously on site.
The modules are currently being lifted into place by crane, forming the building’s structural framework and weather-tight shell ahead of the next phases, including cladding installation and internal fit-out.
Alongside the structural modules, mechanical and electrical service units are also being manufactured and tested in factory-controlled environments before being transported to site for assembly. This approach is intended to shorten programme timescales, minimise on-site activity and enhance quality control.
MTX told Building Better Healthcare that the pre-construction team is led architecturally by Chiso Siminoni, who has been with the company for more than three years, supported by a team of over a dozen specialist healthcare architects.
The CDC is being constructed on the former site of The Place and Pitsea Library and is expected to open in spring 2027.
When completed, it will be the largest Community Diagnostic Centre serving mid and south Essex, delivering more than 120,000 additional diagnostic tests and health assessments annually.
Facilities within the centre will include MRI and CT scanners, X-ray equipment, blood testing services and an eight-room endoscopy suite.
The scheme will also provide a wellbeing hub, activity centre, community facilities and a new library alongside its healthcare functions.
The development is being delivered through a collaboration between Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, Essex County Council and Basildon Council.
“Our hybrid Modern Methods of Construction build process delivers high-quality, compliant new facilities for the NHS and is underpinned by our own proven design and project management skills,” said David Hartley, Managing Director of MTX Contracts.
According to the latest government data, more than six million tests and procedures were undertaken across 159 CDCs in England during the nine months to December 2025, underlining the growing contribution these facilities make in improving access to diagnostics and easing pressure on hospital services.
The new centre is being developed on the site of a former community centre and library within Pitsea’s retail district, supporting the NHS objective of bringing diagnostic services closer to local communities.
“Whenever we are awarded a CDC project, the first priority is making the design fit, and most importantly, work well, within the chosen location,” said architectural lead Chiso Siminoni.
