Camden Council has granted planning permission for a new centre which will bring patient-centred eye care, cutting-edge research and exemplary education all under one roof in the heart of the Knowledge Quarter, an internationally renowned hub for science and innovation.

Oriel is a joint initiative between Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (Moorfields), UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (IoO) and Moorfields Eye Charity. It is an opportunity to create a world-leading centre for advancing eye health that will attract, inspire and retain the most talented clinicians, researchers and educators, enabling the speedier delivery of new treatments and therapies for patients.

Subject to approval by the GLA and conditions being met, Moorfields and the UCL IoO will be able to relocate from their current buildings on City Road, Islington, to the St Pancras Hospital site, in Camden.


This is a significant milestone for the project, which the partners have been working on together since 2013. Engagement on the new centre is ongoing, with a series of events taking place throughout the summer to involve staff, patients and partner organisations in the design of the building’s interior.

Designed by Lead Architect, Penoyre & Prasad, along with AECOM providing expertise on engineering and sustainability, and White Artkitekter on interiors and landscaping, plans for the new building include an open and welcoming environment with highly innovative and flexible layout. At the building’s heart there is a spacious atrium surrounded by clinical, research and education spaces.

Minister for Health Edward Argar MP said: "The Oriel eye centre will enable London to deliver world-leading patient care and scientific research under the same roof, as part of the biggest hospital infrastructure programme in a generation to build back better. The grant of planning approval is an important next step, and I look forward to working with the trust deliver this centre.

"We are backing our NHS and will be building a total of 48 hospitals by 2030, backed by an initial £3.7 billion."

The Oriel engagement and consultation programme was shortlisted for the NHS Communications Initiative of the Year Award at the 2020 HSJ Awards, in recognition of an outstanding contribution to healthcare.

Oriel is part of a wider masterplan for the five-acre St Pancras Hospital site with plans being brought forward separately by King’s Cross Central Limited Partnership (KCCLP) for mixed-use development on the remaining three acres of land.