Delays caused by missing paperwork will frustrate the remaining two consortia left bidding for the job headed by Bouygues and Skanska.

Health chiefs have confirmed the new hospital on the Addenbrooke’s campus will not open until mid-2016, instead of autumn 2015 as planned.

Hospital chief executive Stephen Bridge said the delay is down to a late letter of support due to be sent from the region’s strategic health authority.

He told the Cambridge News: “The strategic health authority has to give us a letter of support.

“That letter has to accept and approve the patient activity projection to illustrate it is a worthwhile project.

“Unfortunately that has taken longer than it should have done because of the upheaval in the structural reforms.”

A winner for the contract was due to be announced by the end of this year with construction starting next March.

Project manager Ken Brewer said that both firms submitted their final bids last month and a winner will now be confirmed next Spring.

It is then expected to take nine months to secure finances and detailed planning permission before work will begin.

Bridge said: “In October or November next year work should be starting on site.

“It will take 30 months to build and should be open in mid-2016.”