The new unit should be open in 2007

Edinburgh-based Miller Construction successfully bid for the work at the Beatson Oncology Centre at Gartnavel General Hospital in Glasgow.

The �87m project, next to the Beatson's existing Tom Wheldon unit, is thought to be the biggest Treasury-funded new hospital building in Scotland.

The winning bidder was announced on Monday by Greater Glasgow NHS Board.

Chief executive of NHS Greater Glasgow, Tom Divers, said: "Patients and staff will undoubtedly benefit from the long-awaited development of the new West of Scotland Cancer Centre.

"It will be one of the finest specialist oncology units in the world."

The project director, Stephen Baker from BOC, said all the bids had been of an "extremely high standard", but Miller was picked because of the "improvements it presented to medical planning, access and external views from the building".

Construction work is due to start in July of this year with a completion date set for 2007.

The finished product will comprise five floors and include:

• three floors of inpatient wards

• varied patient and family information services

• a pharmacy

• outpatient areas with state-of-the-art scanning equipment

• clinical trial and research space

• and an education suite which provides for student lectures and long-distance television links with other cancer specialists.

The existing Tom Wheldon building will eventually be used only for outpatient radiotherapy.

Isobel Neil, BOC general manager, said: "The interior of the new cancer centre as a whole will be designed to promote a sense of wellbeing among patients and staff, and the project team plans to appoint an artistic advisor who will help to develop a therapeutic environment.

"This approach was pioneered by the Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital, also on the Gartnavel site, where it has proved tremendously successful.

"We know that using the right colours, finishes and furniture can create positive surroundings for patients and a pleasant working environment for staff.

"Thanks to the support of our charitable partners - including Friends of the Beatson, Teenage Cancer Trust and Macmillan Cancer Relief - we will create a world class cancer treatment centre where comfort is inbuilt."