East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust finally approved the scheme after years of delay giving the contractor a December start date for enabling works.
The new hospital will be built on the site of the Buckland Hospital, in Coombe Valley Road.
The trust’s Dover Project Team started work with designers and architects in August on the building. Nightingale Associates has delivered architectural services for the scheme with Arup carrying out structural and mechanical and electrical engineering design services.
Nick Wells, chairman of the trust, said he was “absolutely delighted and relieved” the go-ahead had finally been given.
“It has been a long time coming, and I think, if I’m honest, it’s been too long coming, but I think that’s water under the bridge,” he said.
The ProCure 21+ contract will run for nearly two years.